Nacrolepsy : Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment (1)

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Nacrolepsy
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Nacrolepsy

• Narcolepsy  is a neurological issue that
  influences the control of sleep and wakefulness.
  It is characterized by excessive sleepiness,
  sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and in some
  cases episodes of cataplexy (partial or total
  loss of muscle control, often triggered by a
  strong emotion such as laughter).
• Narcolepsy occurs equally in men and women and is
  thought to affect roughly 1 in 2,000 people
• In a typical sleep cycle, people enter the early
  stages of sleep followed by deeper sleep stages
  and ultimately (after about 90 minutes) rapid eye
  movement (REM) sleep.
• But in case of nacrolepsy, REM sleep occurs
  almost immediately in the sleep cycle, as well as
  periodically during the waking hours. It is in
  REM sleep that make us experience dreams and
  muscle paralysis, which are the common symptoms
  of nacroplasy.
• It usually occurs between the ages of 15 and 25,
  but it can become apparent at any age. In many
  cases, narcolepsy is undiagnosed and, therefore,
  untreated.

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Symptoms

• Symptoms of nacrolepsy
• There may certain symptoms which can indicate
  nacrolepsy. It may include
• Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS)-EDS is the
  most common symptom of narcolepsy and usually the
  first symptom to appear (usually between the ages
  of 10-20 years old). EDS is portrayed by a
  chronic persistence of feeling sleepy and
  involuntary episodes of falling asleep without
  warning.
• Sleep paralysis-Sleep paralysis is the inability
  to move or speak where one is falling asleep or
  waking up. During sleep paralysis the person is
  conscious of the surrounding, but can't move as
  the body is still in REM sleep.

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Symptoms
Continue

• Cataplexy-Cataplexy is very similar to sleep
  paralysis in that there is an involuntary
  inability to move muscles or speak, but unlike of
  sleep paralysis it can occur in any time of the
  sleep.
• Hallucinations- Patients of nacrolepsy can
  experience hallucinations during waking up or
  during sleep onset in day. It can be vivid and
  often frightening.
• Disturbed nocturnal sleep-Person suffering from
  nacroplasy may have difficult remaining asleep in
  night as they have difficult remaining awake in
  daytime.

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Causes of nacrolepy

• Though the causes of nacrolepsy is not
  completely known. But there be some thought
  causes, which include
• Autoimmune disorders- The occurrence of cataplexy
  is most often due to the the loss of brain cells
  that produce hypocretin. Although the reason for
  this cell loss is unknown, it appears to be
  linked to abnormalities in the immune system.
  Body's own immune system attacks the hypocretin
  brain cells which may be associated with other
  enviormental factors.
• Family history- Nacroplasy is not a inherited
  disease. But in 10 cases the risk may increase
  due to family history.
• Brain injuries- Rarely, narcolepsy results from
  traumatic injury to parts of the brain that
  regulate wakefulness and REM sleep or from tumors
  and other diseases in the same regions.

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Treatment

• Treatment of nacrolepsy
• Stimulants-Drugs used to stimulate the central
  nervous system to help people stay awake, and
  certain amphetamine-like drugs are the most
  common stimulants given.
• Antidepressants-selective serotonin reuptake
  inhibitors (SSRI's) and serotonin and
  norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRI's) have
  been used to suppress REM sleep, alleviate
  cataplexy and sleep paralysis and hallucinations.
• Sodium Oxybate-Sodium oxybate is a strong
  sedative that is administered at night and helps
  relieve symptoms of cataplexy and EDS. But,
  sodium oxybate can have serious side effects so
  concern of doctor is strictly recommended.
• Xyrem- It is a new medicine helps people with
  narcolepsy get a better night's sleep, allowing
  them to be less sleepy during the day.

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Diagnosis of nacrolepsy

• A preliminary study of the patient is done
  regarding the symptoms of EDS and cataplexy. But
  certain further diagnosis may be done, which
  include
• Polysomnogram (PSG)-A polysomnogram is an
  overnight sleep study in which patients are
  hooked up to a variety of equipment that record
  brain activity, eye movements, heart rate, blood
  pressure, oxygen levels, body movement, and more.
  Certain test is used to document any
  abnormalities in patients sleep cycle.
• Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT)-A MSLT is a
  sleep study that is performed during the day to
  measure the tendency to fall asleep during the
  day and how rapidly a patient fall asleep. MSLT's
  generally follow a Polysomnogram and record
  whether the patient fall asleep during the test,
  and if so, which stages of sleep you enter
• Nacrolepsy cannot be treated completely, use of
  drugs and following certain living pattern can
  help the patient to reduce symptoms, and control
  daytime sleep. Support from family and near ones
  may be the most effective treatment.

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