Narcolepsy is a neurological sleep
disorder that is serious and lifelong. It can begin
at any age to anyone, and once inflicted, it is there
for life. It is estimated that one out of 1000 people
in the world is affected by narcolepsy. Although the
symptoms are usually seen in early teenage years,
there is neither any known cure nor any adequate treatment
for it. Narcolepsy seems to be hereditary, and it
appears that the first generation of offspring of
a narcoleptic parent has a 5% chance of being afflicted
with the disorder.
The cause for narcolepsy has been identified by researchers
as the absence of neurotransmitter cells, which produce
the hypocretin peptide essential to the human sleep-wake
cycle.
The symptoms of narcolepsy include excessive daytime
sleepiness (see Excessive Daytime
Sleepiness), cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations,
automatic behaviour and disrupted nighttime sleep.
Excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy are the
two primary and most dangerous symptoms of all. Cataplexy
is a rapid loss of control of muscles, which is usually
triggered by emotions associated with laughter, anger,
elation or surprise. An attack of cataplexy can range
from a brief experience of partial muscle weakness
to an almost complete loss of muscle control, and
may last up to several minutes. Some of the attacks
can result in a total physical collapse, during which
the victim is unable to move or speak, although he
or she is still conscious or at least partially aware
of what is happening.
Foreword
