The Narcolepsy is a disorder characterized in general terms by excessive daytime sleepiness. This is not a rare disease that affects about one in 1,000 people, predominantly males at any age. The symptoms are generally absent or poorly recognized before age 10, with a peak between 15 and 25 years.
This disease has no treatment or curative treatment, but you can take drug therapies that reduce the disability caused by excessive sleepiness and other symptoms.
The cause of narcolepsy appears to be a biochemical defect of the central nervous system. It is suspected that the disease or the predisposition to develop it may be a hereditary characteristic, transmitted from parents to children or grandchildren or great-grandchildren. It 'also possible that narcolepsy appears after a brain injury and other diseases in the central nervous system.
As mentioned above, excessive daytime sleepiness is often the first symptom that is noticed. Sometimes it is also referred to as fatigue, decreased energy, irresistible sleep attacks, an unusual arrangement asleep. Drowsiness is still present every day, although with varying intensity, so that the affected individual may be aware only of the most serious.
The total sleep in 24 hours is generally within the norm, the permanent disposition to drowsiness and asleep and the circumstances in which this happens to be unusual. Since individuals with narcolepsy have a hard time resisting to sleep - as happens when an individual is deprived of the normal amount of sleep needed - it often happens that they fall asleep in less appropriate moments, such as during a conversation as they sit in class while they are waiting for a bus or eating.
Another important symptom of narcolepsy is cataplexy of, or a rapid loss of muscle tone caused by emotional events such as laughter, anger, excitement, surprise. A cataplexy attacks may involve only a brief and partial weakness but may also cause an almost complete loss of muscle control for a few minutes. This can cause a fall, the inability to move and speak, even if the subject is conscious or at least partially aware of what is happening.
hypnagogic hallucinations, however, are vivid and intense experiences that occur at the beginning or end of a period of sleep. Some or all of the senses can be involved and is often very difficult for the subject to distinguish hallucination from reality. Sometimes the experience hypnagogic hallucinations can be quite frightening.
Finally remembered the so-called sleep paralysis, the awareness of not being able to move despite the desire to do so, that occurs during sleep to wake up. When it takes place in conjunction with a hallucination hypnagogic strong degree, the experience can become truly terrifying.
As regards the current state of research on this disease, sleep researchers are employed on two fronts: the search for optimal treatment - both pharmacological and behavioral - and the experimental and clinical studies leading to the discovery of the cause of narcolepsy. In the latter sector is fast growing genetic studies, biochemical tests and those neurorecettoriali.
Continue the search for a possible autoimmune disease and studies aimed at identifying those that may be precipitating factors narcolepsy in genetically predisposed individuals, such as viral or bacterial agents, stress, abuse of drugs and medications, hormones.
The consequences of narcolepsy can be many and difficult to assess over time, and may also lead to serious economic and social repercussions. Fatigue and lack of energy, for example, affect a person even for the complete fulfillment of family responsibilities.
Cataplexy, then, that interfere with normal physical activities and may cause inability to work or driving and loss of independence, can also cause serious difficulties of a financial nature and even bring the subject to social exclusion, loss of contact with others, resulting in a fall was depression. The extent of these problems is influenced by the severity of symptoms, the application or not of appropriate drug treatments and especially the acceptance and support of family and friends.
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