narcolepsy It is an incurable clinical condition whose main symptoms are excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. The disease is associated with genetic and environmental factors and has a hypothalamic origin. The patient has sleep attacks during the day and an uncontrollable urge to sleep.
In addition, he may experience sudden loss of muscle strength (cataplexy), episodes of being unable to move, interrupted sleep at night, and hallucinations when falling asleep or waking up. Narcolepsy brings great harm to the individual, and, despite not having a cure, medication and behavioral changes can help reduce symptoms.
Read too: Is too little sleep bad for your health?
summary of narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a chronic clinical condition that causes excessive sleepiness and cataplexy.
Environmental and genetic factors are related to the development of the disease.
Without proper treatment, narcolepsy can cause great damage to an individual's quality of life.
The diagnosis is based on an interview with the patient and tests that assess sleep.
Treatment is divided into behavioral and drug.
What is narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy (narco means "stunned" and lepsy, “fits”) is a clinical condition that is characterized by an uncontrollable willolable and sudden to sleep. It is a chronic disease that presents hypothalamic origin and that is associated with genetic and environmental factors.
It was first described in 1877 in an article written by the German psychiatrist Westphal and entitled “Eigenthümliche mit Einschlafen verbundene Anfälle” (peculiar convulsions associated with the fall sleep). The term narcolepsy, however, was used for the first time by Jean Baptiste Édouard Gélineau, a French neuropsychiatrist.
According to the Brazilian Sleep Association, one out of every 2000 people are affected with narcolepsy. It is important to make it clear that narcolepsy is not just drowsiness, nor laziness, it is a health problem that can have a great psychosocial impact.
symptoms of narcolepsy
The individual with narcolepsy has episodes of sudden and uncontrollable urge to sleep. He may fall asleep even during some activity, such as eating or driving, which can lead to serious accidents. In addition, patients generally complain of superficial and non-restorative sleep.
In addition to the characteristic drowsiness, narcolepsy causes cataplexy. Cataplexy consists of a brief and sudden loss ofvoluntary control of body muscles. This loss of control is recurrent and reversible and occurs after emotional situations. In general, there is no loss of consciousness.
other symptoms of narcolepsy include:
sleep paralysis (inability to move when falling asleep or waking up);
fragmented nocturnal sleep;
hypnagogic-hypnopompic hallucinations (hallucinations that occur when falling asleep or waking up);
Nightmares;
cognitive deficits;
episodes of automatic behaviors;
obesity;
type II diabetes;
parasomnias (unwanted disorders that occur at sleep onset, during sleep, or on awakening).
Furthermore, individuals with the disease can develop problems like depression and anxiety.
Know more: Why do we need to sleep?
Diagnosis of narcolepsy
The diagnosis is made based on the analysis of the symptoms described by the patient. The doctor initially applies a questionnaire through which it is possible to analyze the severity of sleepiness and then request tests to assess sleep. The tests used for the diagnosis are nocturnal polysomnography and the daytime test of multiple sleep latencies.
treatment of narcolepsy
Narcolepsy is a incurable chronic disease, however, some measures allow the symptoms to be alleviated and the patient's quality of life to be improved. Therapy for narcolepsy consists of treatmentbehavioral and medicinal.
As far as behavioral treatment is concerned, it is based on changes in the patient's routine, such as: looking for relaxing activities at bedtime; avoid heavy food close to bedtime; maintain regular bedtimes; and schedule short naps during the day to increase alertness. Already you medicines are used for trying to control excessive sleepiness and cataplexy.
By Vanessa Sardinha dos Santos
Biology teacher
