![]() DiagnosisĪ comprehensive history and exam is the first step in evaluating and individual with a suspected diagnosis of narcolepsy. ![]() Patients with narcolepsy type 2 do not have cataplexy. ![]() While cataplexy should prompt immediate consideration of narcolepsy, other symptoms are less specific, including complaints of daytime sleepiness or hallucinations that occur as the patient is falling asleep or awakening. Patients with narcolepsy type 1 (narcolepsy with cataplexy) typically present with moderate to severe daytime sleepiness, transient facial weakness or falls triggered by joking or laughter (partial or complete cataplexy), or the inability to move for one or two minutes immediately after awakening or just before falling asleep (sleep paralysis). The classic tetrad of chronic daytime sleepiness with varying amounts of cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis are only present in one-third of patients. The essential symptom of narcolepsy is daytime sleepiness. Correct diagnosis and effective treatment can be life changing Symptoms Life impact can be considerable ranging from social embarrassment and poor school and work performance to potentially life-threatening motor vehicle accidents. Patients with narcolepsy may be misdiagnosed as depressed or anxious, or mischaracterized at “lazy” because of their symptoms which can often lead to a significant delay in confirmation of the diagnosis. Loss of these neurotransmitters is thought to lead to the intrusion of REM sleep phenomena (cataplexy, sleep paralysis, hypnagogic hallucinations) into wakefulness. The release of these two neurotransmitters also prevents inappropriate transition into REM (rapid eye movement sleep). The symptoms of narcolepsy and cataplexy are caused by a deficiency of neurotransmitters in the brain, hypocretin-1 and hypocretin-2, which increase activity in the brain to promote and maintain wakefulness. There are two forms of narcolepsy which are differentiated from one another based on the presence (Type 1) or absence (Type 2) of cataplexy. Narcolepsy is a disorder of sleep –wake control and is characterized by daytime sleepiness, cataplexy (sudden transient muscle weakness classically triggered by laughter), hypnagogic hallucinations (seeing things or people when going to sleep), and sleep paralysis (inability to move upon awakening from sleep).
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