In a small number of patients, the area of brain that controls REM sleep and wakefulness can be injured by trauma, tumor or disease. Some persons with narcolepsy have close relatives with similar symptoms. A person’s immune system attacks the brain cells that produce hypocretin, resulting in a shortage of this chemical. Other possible factors scientists think play a role in narcolepsy include: A shortage of hypocretin causes excessive sleepiness, and features of REM sleep (also called “dreaming sleep”) become present during wakefulness. Hypocretin is important for regulating the sleep/wake cycle including the rapid eye movement (REM) sleep state. Scientists have discovered that people with narcolepsy have a loss of a neurotransmitter (chemical signal) in the brain called hypocretin. Persons with type 2 narcolepsy have excessive daytime sleepiness but do not have cataplexy and have normal levels of hypocretin. Type 2 narcolepsy (previously called narcolepsy without cataplexy).
#Cataplexy without narcolepsy plus#
Persons with type 1 narcolepsy have excessive daytime sleepiness plus cataplexy and/or low levels of a chemical in the brain called hypocretin. Type 1 narcolepsy (previously called narcolepsy with cataplexy ).Because narcolepsy symptoms mimic depression, other sleep disorders, or other illnesses, it may go undiagnosed and untreated for years. Narcolepsy occurs in people of all ages, but the first sign of daytime sleepiness usually appears in the teenage years or twenties. Up to 10% of people who have narcolepsy have a relative who also has the disorder. The disorder affects males and females equally. Who gets narcolepsy?Īpproximately one in 2,000 Americans has narcolepsy. These sudden sleep “attacks” may occur during any type of activity and at any time of the day. If you have narcolepsy, you experience excessive daytime sleepiness and may have uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the daytime. Narcolepsy is a neurological (nervous system) disorder that affects the brain’s ability to control sleep and wakefulness.
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