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What causes narcolepsy and what are its main symptoms?
What is the treatment for narcolepsy?

A person suffering from narcolepsy, can fall asleep at any time and in any position (in a bank, in a shop, at school, while walking, in a cinema or on the stairs) and it takes them a few seconds. The cause of narcolepsy, is a deficiency of one of the proteins (hypocretin), which plays a key role in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness and the cause of this deficiency is damage to the lateral hypothalamus.

Importantly, narcolepsy is not a mental illness. It is an incurable disease but it is possible to function normally with it and enjoy life.

What causes narcolepsy and what are its main symptoms?

Narcolepsy, in its early stages, is most often underestimated, with sufferers claiming that they have problems with daytime sleepiness due to, for example, fatigue or accompanying illnesses. Over time, however, daytime sleepiness becomes unbearable and falling asleep in different places becomes more frequent.

This is when patients usually go to see their doctor. The causes of narcolepsy are not known in detail, although it is known that they are related to disturbed regulation of the REM phase in patients. One of the proteins that plays a key role in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness processes - hypocretin (an important neurotransmitter in the brain) - may influence this process.

It is produced in lower amounts in narcolepsy patients than in healthy individuals in the brain. An abnormal autoimmune response has also been implicated in narcolepsy (further studies and observations are needed to show whether this is the cause of narcolepsy).

Among the most common symptoms of narcolepsy are:

excessive daytime sleepiness, which subsides after a short nap and then returns immediately. Patients fall asleep in a very short time (up to about 3-5 minutes) in various positions (standing, sitting) in any situation. The sleepiness intensifies as the disease progresses and the patient is unable to control it.
sleep hallucinations, are characteristic of patients with narcolepsy. Immediately after falling asleep, they experience various types of dreams that are very realistic. In most cases, they lead to anxiety, terror, fear and uncertainty.
catalepsy, is one of the symptoms characteristic only of narcolepsy. It involves muscle flaccidity, which in turn leads to collapse of the affected person, gibberish speech, facial muscle flaccidity.
sleep paralysis, is a very unpleasant symptom. It appears immediately after waking up or while falling asleep. The patient is unable to move which causes him/her to feel frightened.
problems with falling asleep
daytime fatigue, irritability, explosiveness and others

What is the treatment for narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy requires treatment, as the symptoms accompanying it prevent normal functioning not only during the day but also at night. Antidepressants are given to patients who have symptoms: catalepsy and sleep hallucinations. Other stimulant drugs are also used to reduce the number of daytime naps.

For more severe narcolepsy, new generation drugs are used. It is possible to live a normal life with narcolepsy if one follows the rules introduced by the doctor and takes the appropriate medication. Of course, patients observe their own body and find ways to cope with daytime sleepiness, e.g. try not to fall asleep alone, when they feel an attack of sleepiness coming on, do everything to stop it, be physically active (to stimulate the body), schedule naps during the day, do not drink coffee or alcohol, avoid stimulants and learn more about narcolepsy.

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Neurological basis of sleep disorders - narcolepsy

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