Narkolepszia

Narkolepszia is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to regulate sleep-wake cycles. The most prominent symptom is excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), which can lead to sudden and overwhelming urges to sleep at inappropriate times. These sleep attacks can occur without warning and may be accompanied by other characteristic symptoms.

Cataplexy, a sudden loss of muscle tone often triggered by strong emotions like laughter or surprise, is another hallmark symptom of narcolepsy, though not everyone with the condition experiences it. Sleep paralysis, a temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or waking up, and hypnagogic or hypnopompic hallucinations, vivid dream-like experiences that occur while drifting off to sleep or waking, are also common.

The exact cause of narcolepsy is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a deficiency in hypocretin (also known as orexin), a brain chemical that plays a crucial role in wakefulness. In most cases of narcolepsy, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys the hypocretin-producing neurons. While there is no cure for narcolepsy, treatments are available to manage its symptoms. These include stimulant medications to combat daytime sleepiness, antidepressants to address cataplexy and other symptoms, and lifestyle adjustments like maintaining a regular sleep schedule.