Narcolepsy Symptoms and Treatments

1
Narcolepsy Symptoms and Treatments
2
Narcolepsy

• A daytime sleepiness condition in which some
  patients can fall asleep with little or no
  warning.
• Narcolepsy is a chronic brain disorder that
  involves poor control of sleep-wake cycles.
  Narcolepsy typically affects patients in their
  teenage years or in their 20s.
• Sometimes patients are diagnosed in their 40s or
  50s. In severe cases patients are prone to
  falling asleep with little or no warning. These
  are known as sleep attacks.

3
Symptoms

• Narcolepsy is a syndrome that can be
  characterized by chronic daytime sleepiness,
  accompanied by hypnologic, sleep paralysis and
  cataplexy.
• It is often the case where patients may not have
  all the symptoms but daytime sleepiness is a
  constant symptom in almost all patients.

4
Causes

• Most people with narcolepsy have low levels of
  the neurotransmitter hypocretin, which promotes
  wakefulness.
• Neurotransmitters are chemicals that neurons
  produce to communicate with each other and to
  regulate biological processes.

5
Common Conditions associated with Narcolepsy

• Narcolepsy patients are often misdiagnosed as
  depressed or having mood disorders because their
  sleepiness leads to mood disorder.
• Also, Narcolepsy can be a manifestation of other
  sleep or medical disorders.
• These can include untreated sleep Apnea, periodic
  limb movement disorder, restless legs syndrome,
  insomnia, or insufficient sleep.

6
Diagnosis Treatments

• Testing may consist of an overnight Polysomnogram
  followed by a Multiple Sleep Latatency Test
  (MSLT). This can help to identify pathologic
  sleepiness, and abnormal sleep-wake transitions.
• Pharmacologic therapy and good sleep hygiene are
  the mainstay of treatment.

7
Thanks for reading !!!

• If you are experiencing symptoms of Narcolepsy,
  please contact us online or call us at
  708-364-0261 to set up an appointment our sleep
  specialists.