Abstract
This paper discusses how narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder caused by the brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally. It examines how, with this disorder people can experience an overwhelming desire to go to sleep throughout the day and how these sleeping episodes can occur at any time, which makes this disorder largely disabling. The paper also discusses how there are three others symptoms that accompany the daytime sleepiness - cataplexy, vivid hallucinations, and paralysis. Causes of the disorder and treatment options such as regulation with drug treatment are also discussed.

From the Paper
"Most people think that people with narcolepsy spend a great deal of their time asleep. This is not true. Along with involuntary sleep and daytime sleepiness, most people with narcolepsy will also wake-up frequently during the night. Because of this, narcolepsy is thought to be a disorder of the standard boundaries between the waking and sleeping cycles. "For most adults, a normal night's sleep lasts about 8 hours and is composed of four to six separate sleep cycles. A sleep cycle is defined by a segment of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep followed by a period of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. The NREM segment can be further divided into stages according to the size and frequency of brain waves. REM sleep, in contrast, is accompanied by bursts of rapid eye movement (hence the acronym REM sleep) along with sharply heightened brain activity and temporary paralysis of the muscles that control posture and body movement. "

Tags:hypocretin, gene, cataplexy, hallucinations, rem

Abstract
Narcolepsy is a chronic, debilitating sleep disorder affecting nearly one percent of the North American population. This paper discusses the history and symptoms of narcolepsy and provides an in depth analysis of the diagnostic tools, both objective and subjective. Issues surrounding diagnosis are given, as well as treatment options such as lifestyle changes and pharmacotherapy.

From the Paper
"Cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hypnagogic hallucinations are usually further controlled by tricyclic antidepressants such as Prozac, Triptil, and Anafranil (Daniels, King, Smith & Shneerson, 2001). Medically formulated gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) have shown beneficial effects in control of cataplexy in some patients (Thorpy, 2001). GHB stabilizes nocturnal REM sleep by increasing sleep continuity, and decreases cataplexy attacks, but does not significantly affect daytime sleep attacks or sleep latency (Fry, 1998). Because of GHB's recognition as a date-rape drug and the high instances of personal and social abuse, the drug is highly regulated and hard to receive prescriptions (Fry, 1998)."

Tags:cataplexy, hallucinations, hypnogogic, paralysis