Narcolepsy: Symptoms, Causes, and Effective Treatments

The narcolepsy is characterized by a excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden onset of muscle weakness (cataplexy) caused by emotions (such as laughter and surprise) of less than 2 minutes duration and interruptions / fragmentation of nighttime sleep.

Although the cause of it is unknown, it has been implicated in its appearance a genetic predisposition and certain environmental factors such as stress, hormonal changes or trauma, among others, that can act as triggers.

Recently it has been discovered that people suffering from narcolepsy have low levels of hypocretin (a protein made by the brain) in your spinal fluid. The hypocretin is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for maintaining the waking state.

Some studies show a 10 to 40 times higher risk of having this disease than the general population among first-degree relatives of patients with narcolepsy.

Currently, narcolepsy is estimated to have a prevalence of 0.02-0.05% of the population, Therefore, it is calculated that it affects about 25,000 people in our country.

How does it manifest?

Symptoms usually begin in early ages (adolescence or young adults).

The main symptom is sleep attacks with a sharp decrease in muscle tone. These can show up at any time during the day and in variable numbers. The patient presents microdreams seconds long while you are performing an activity.

Cataplexy is characteristic of narcolepsy, the patient presents a momentary paralysis due to a sudden global or partial loss of muscle tone in response to or triggered by an emotion such as anger, fear or laughter.

Other associated symptoms are paralysis during sleep (The patient cannot move when falling asleep or waking up, which generates great anguish), a feeling of significant fatigue, difficulty in concentration, visual or auditory hallucinations at the beginning of sleep or upon waking.

Thus, the narcolepsy has a serious impact on quality of life of the patient causing disorders in attention, school and work performance and being the cause of an increase in traffic accidents.

How is it diagnosed?

The diagnosis of narcolepsy is basically clinical, that is, based on the patient's symptoms. Other possible ones must always be ruled out Neurological disorders so a directed study can be carried out in the so-called Sleep Units or by the

In these units a series of tests is carried out, such as the recording of brain electrical activity during sleep () that gives rise to characteristic patterns of narcolepsy.

Radiological imaging tests and routine blood tests give normal results.

What treatments are there?

There is no curative treatment for the disease. There are a number of habits to adopt and drugs to try to control the attacks.

Regarding the non-pharmacological recommendations, they include: make small naps of about 15 minutes during the day, avoid large meals, get enough night's rest and exercise regularly.

Regarding treatments with drugs those that contain amphetamines or the like are used not without side effects. Currently a drug called modafinil, a neurostimulant without amphetamines, which appears to be safer and more effective.

Other recommendations for patients suffering from narcolepsy:

• Avoid driving for long distances.
• Avoid using dangerous machines (at home or at work)
• Take short periods of rest throughout the day.
• Avoid large meals.

Intensive Medicine Specialist.