Narcolepsy and cataplexy brain1/17/2024 ![]() ![]() Stimulants: Sometimes, doctors may prescribe stimulants.This class of drug is derived from amphetamines, but causes fewer side effects and is less likely to cause addiction. It is a non-stimulant wake-promoting medication. Wake-promoting medications: Modafinil ( Provigil) is the first-line treatment for narcolepsy.For hypersomnia caused by narcolepsy, doctors may prescribe medications to help prevent daytime sleep attacks. The treatment for hypersomnia depends on the cause. But because low hypocretin levels are not characteristic of type 2 narcolepsy, it is not always useful. On average, falling asleep in 8 minutes or less is an indication of excessive daytime sleepiness.įor narcolepsy testing, in some cases, a doctor may also measure the level of hypocretin in the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord. The day after a PSG, a person must take five short naps, each separated by 2 hours. Multiple sleep latency testĪ multiple sleep latency test looks at daytime sleepiness. It can also detect other causes for daytime sleepiness, such as sleep apnea. This allows doctors to determine if REM sleep occurs earlier in someone’s sleep cycle than it should. There are two key tests a sleep laboratory can run: PolysomnogramĪ polysomnogram (PSG) records muscle and brain activity, eye movement, and breathing during sleep. If there is no clear cause, they can refer someone to a sleep laboratory. They may look at any prescription or recreational drugs a person takes and order medical tests. They may also ask someone to keep a sleep diary for several days, so that they can get a better sense of how much a person sleeps, whether it is refreshing or not, and how this impacts their life.ĭoctors also need to rule out other potential causes for the tiredness. The cause of Kleine-Levin syndrome is unknown.ĭoctors can begin diagnosing the cause of excessive sleepiness by taking a medical history and asking questions about a person’s symptoms. ![]() ![]() The condition often improves with age, but sometimes comes back when a person gets older. feeling confused, disorientated, or lethargic when awakeīetween episodes, people can go for weeks or months with no symptoms.behavior changes, such as having an unusually high sex drive or a lack of emotion.mental fogginess and difficulty concentratingĪnother cause of primary hypersomnia is Kleine-Levin syndrome, a rare condition that causes episodes of excessive sleep that occur in cycles.difficulty waking up, which may cause disorientation.Scientists do not understand what causes it, but the excessive tiredness and unrefreshing sleep it causes can be debilitating. Idiopathic hypersomniaĭespite the name, idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) is a distinct medical condition named after its most prominent symptom. Narcolepsy is one of the potential causes of primary hypersomnia, but there are others. The cause of type 2 is currently unknown. This could happen due to an autoimmune disease, genetics, or environmental factors.īut those who have narcolepsy without cataplexy tend to have usual levels of hypocretin. Researchers believe that people may develop type 1 narcolepsy if the cells that produce hypocretin die. This may explain why people with narcolepsy enter REM sleep much faster than most people, and why they can experience vivid dreams and sleep paralysis. There may be different causes for types 1 and 2.Īlmost all people with type 1 narcolepsy have very low levels of hypocretin, a chemical that keeps the body awake and regulates the rapid eye movement (REM) phase of sleep. Scientists do not fully understand what causes narcolepsy. People with type 2 narcolepsy do not experience cataplexy. It may result in a total body collapse, or milder symptoms, such as sudden weakness or cataplexy in only one part of the body. Cataplexy causes a sudden loss of muscle tone and control when a person feels strong emotions. People with type 1 narcolepsy also experience cataplexy, which is similar to fainting. difficulty staying asleep at night, which may cause frequent waking or insomnia.hallucinations, which can accompany sleep paralysis and may be frightening.sleep paralysis, which causes a temporary inability to move or speak as a person falls asleep or wakes up.People with narcolepsy also often experience: But between attacks, people can have typical energy levels. Narcolepsy is one of the causes of primary hypersomnia. These attacks last a few seconds to a few minutes. ![]() They may happen when someone is talking, eating, or driving. Narcolepsy is a specific neurological disorder that causes sudden attacks of overwhelming sleepiness that can occur at any time. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply.AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |