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What is Narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder caused by the brain's inability to
regulate sleep-wake cycles normally.
At various times throughout the day, people
with narcolepsy experience fleeting urges to sleep. If the urge becomes
overwhelming, individuals will fall asleep for periods lasting from a few
seconds to several minutes. In rare cases, some people may remain asleep for an
hour or longer.
In addition to excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), three other major symptoms
frequently characterize narcolepsy:
1. Cataplexy, or the sudden loss of
voluntary muscle tone
2. Vivid hallucinations during sleep onset
or upon awakening
3. Brief episodes of total paralysis at the
beginning or end of sleep.
Is
There a Cure for Narcolepsy?
There is no cure for narcolepsy.
Two classes of antidepressant drugs have proved effective in controlling
cataplexy in many patients: tricyclics and selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors.
Drug therapy should be supplemented by behavioral strategies.
For example:
1. Many people with narcolepsy take
short, regularly scheduled naps at times when they tend to feel
sleepiest.
2. Improving the quality of nighttime sleep can combat EDS and help
relieve persistent feelings of fatigue.
3. Among the most important
common-sense measures people with narcolepsy can take to enhance sleep
quality are actions such as maintaining a regular sleep schedule,
avoiding alcohol and not drinking caffeine-containing beverages before
bedtime.
References
1. National Institutes of Health. "National Institute of Neurological
Disorders and Stroke: Narcolepsy." http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/narcolepsy/narcolepsy.htm
(2007)
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