Study of Narcolepsy and cataplexy
Nicole Stallworth
Herzing University
Study of Narcolepsy and cataplexy
Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a serious cause of chronic sleeplessness. It normally develop in teen period and usually develop for life. It can be described as neurological syndrome that leads to sleepless and other symptoms that come along are short episode of the muscle failure or weakness, dreamlike hallucinations, a short period or episode f paralysis that’s when one is waking up or falling asleep them lastly there is a disjointed nighttime sleep. The disease and its symptoms usually begins at the age of10 to 20 (Schwartz, 2017). However, in other cases it starts late. Both men and women are affected at the same rate. It approximately affects 1 person out of 2,000 people. It’s a disease that is manageable. The following are types of narcolepsy, narcolepsy with cataplexy and then narcolepsy without cataplexy. The only difference is people who has narcolepsy without cataplexy are affected with sleeplessness. However, faces no muscle weakness. They don’t face severe signs. This are the two types that are today recognized by clinicians. Another rare cases arise with the injury to the hypothalamus, this is usually called secondary narcolepsy.
Causes Narcolepsy
The exact cause of narcolepsy, but researchers and scientist has identified genes that are associated with the condition. This type of gene are specifically in control of the production or yield of the chemicals founded in brain that signals sleep or awake routine or cycles. In other discussion some scientists argue that narcolepsy comes with the deficiency in secretion of the chemical hypocretin in the brain (Schwartz, 2017). In other cases some feel that it due to abnormalities in certain parts of the brain that regulate REM sleep. Then as a result these abnormalities influence the development of those symptoms. Experts feels that narcolepsy is enhanced by varied factors that comes together or relate to cause neurological disorder.
Symptoms of Narcolepsy
Excessive daytime sleepiness, this in many cases interrupt the normal happenings on a regular basis. Most people who suffers from narcolepsy has reported, memory lapse, depressed moods, mental cloudiness, and lastly lack of concentration and also energy. Cataplexy, loss of muscle tone that makes one too weak and also reduced muscle control. Certain part are interfered with such as speech and o can collapse at a given chance. It perhaps depend on the type of muscle as most of the time the act is triggered by different emotions or behaviour such as laughter and surprise. Sleep paralysis, this symptom is accompanied by one not being able to speak in the process of falling asleep or even waking up (Bassetti, 2018)). However, this type of episode are always brief and people recover very first. Hallucination, one experiences lot of delusion and they are always clear or vivid.
Narcolepsy Diagnosis
A proper way to diagnose narcolepsy is by following ones medical history and physical exam. However some specialized tests are always done in the lab clinics before the process of diagnosis is initiated (Bassetti, 2018). The two texts that a very necessary in this process are, polysomnogram (PSG), and then multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). The overnight test I normally PSG as its done when the client r patient is sleeping. This help in identifying if the REM sleep happens at abnormal time or not at the sleep routine or cycle. The other type of test MSLT is always done at daytime so that they measure one’s probability or tendency to sleep. This help by gauging the isolated features of REM sleep interrupt at inappropriate periods at the time of awakening hours.
Narcolepsy treatment
As I have said earlier on there is no treatment for the disorder, most of the disabling symptoms such as cataplexy can be managed or controlled by use of drugs. Amphetamine like stimulant is used to treat sleeplessness. And in the cases of abnormality in REM sleep antidepressant medicine or drugs are given. In recent happening new drugs has been approved for those people who suffers from both cataplexy and narcolepsy. Xylem medication is administered. This has helped the patient by having less at the day and good sleep at night. The other lifestyle adjustment are as follow: avoiding the use of caffeine, nicotine alcohol, creating schedules for meals and seep and finally no having heavy meals.
Cataplexy
This disorder can be described as a sudden and brief loss of deliberate muscle tone that is related to robust emotions such s surprise or anger. This disorder has been associated to the narcolepsy. It mostly happens during the time when one wakes up. In the process of the attack the muscle becomes so weak such that there is drooping eyelids (Tafti, 2015). Then the worst scenario is the total body failure. There has never been a cue for the disorder but it can only be controlled by drugs. As I have stated before, the disorder is associated with narcolepsy however, it carries other rare disorders including: Niemann-pick type C diseases, Wilson’s illness and prader-Will syndrome. In other are cases cataplexy has been seen in stroke, injuries in the head, multiple sclerosis, and encephalitis.
Causes
The REM sleep disassociation proposition argue that cataplexy is the paralysis in the muscle which happens when REM sleep interrupt or intrude into the waking hours. However, the exact cause is not known. The factor that has been identified is hypocretin. Those with cataplexy has had the following behaviour and disorders, variation in T-cells and leukocyte antigen, this has made some exert to term it as an autoimmune disorder. However, it’s still remain a topic of debate.
Symptoms and diagnosis
The symptoms are known to be either severe or just mild (Tafti, 2015). They are a follow: unusual tongue movement, jaw tremor, drooping eyelid, difficulty in speech, knee buckling and lastly facial flickering. The personal can collapse and the movement remain standstill. The diagnosis with narcolepsy and catalepsy is normal done on the foundation of patient’s medical history. Most of the complaints are related to daytime sleepiness and also during the time he wakes up. EDS has been always he first symptom of narcolepsy and ones it’s tested and found in cataplexy, it justify the presence of narcolepsy. In this case the test method used will be MSLT which will be accompanied by five naps routine or schedule.
Treatment and prevention
Since the cure for the disorder has never been found, the disease is only managed. the prioritize measures are better sleep hygiene exercise and then the use of drugs or medication. Some other measures are not being exposed to too much light, relaxing bed, avoid alcohol and caffeine. Sodium oxybate has been authorized and approved by U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cataplexy treatment (Lammers, 2017). The safety measures are as follow, being aware of the danger e.g. glass and also sharp ages, stress management, don’t deprive yourself sleep, then make sure to evens that can prove strong emotions don’t drive heavy vehicles or machines and always teach others about the disease.
References
Lammers, G. J. (2017). Narcolepsy with cataplexy. Oxford Textbook of Sleep Disorders, 119.
Liblau, R. S., Vassalli, A., Seifinejad, A., & Tafti, M. (2015). Hypocretin (orexin) biology and the pathophysiology of narcolepsy with cataplexy. The Lancet Neurology, 14(3), 318-328.
Sturzenegger, C., Baumann, C. R., Lammers, G. J., Kallweit, U., van der Zande, W. L., & Bassetti, C. L. (2018). Swiss Narcolepsy Scale: A simple screening tool for hypocretin-deficient narcolepsy with cataplexy. Clinical and Translational Neuroscience, 2(2), 2514183X18794175.
Szakacs, Z., Dauvilliers, Y., Mikhaylov, V., Poverennova, I., Krylov, S., Jankovic, S., ... & Schwartz, J. C. (2017). Safety and efficacy of pitolisant on cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. The Lancet Neurology, 16(3), 200-207.
Niccali
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