What Causes Narcolepsy Without Cataplexy

These tests can also help doctors rule out other possible causes of your signs and symptoms.

What causes narcolepsy without cataplexy. Other sleep disorders such as chronic sleep deprivation the use of sedating medications and sleep apnea can cause excessive daytime sleepiness. Injuries to the hypothalamus and brain stem tumors and stroke are under investigation. When cataplexy is present the cause is most often the loss of brain cells that produce hypocretin. Some possible symptoms of cataplexy episodes include.

People with type 1 narcolepsy have low levels of the chemical hypocretin hi-poe-KREE-tin. In rare cases narcolepsy can be caused by traumatic brain injury tumors or other diseases affecting the parts of the brain that regulate wakefulness or REM sleep. Visit the Center for Narcolepsy for more details. Whole body falling to the ground.

Scientists and researchers believe there are multiple factors that influence the disorder. The exact cause of narcolepsy is unknown but experts believe that several factors may play a role. Which explains why cataplexy is classically linked to narcolepsy. Narcolepsy without cataplexy includes most of the same symptoms but its cause is unknown.

A recent discovery has shown that people who suffer from narcolepsy lack the chemical hypocretin. Although the cause of narcolepsy is not completely understood current research suggests that narcolepsy may be the result of a combination of factors working together to cause a lack of hypocretin. OlsonSomeone may stop competing to avoid winning. People who have narcolepsy fall asleep easily and enter into rapid eye movement REM sleep quickly.

Various muscles around your body twitching without an obvious cause. The cause of narcolepsy is still unknown however there is much research being done to find the cause of the disorder. In most people with narcolepsy the small region of their brain where orexin is produced is not working properly. Without proper diagnosis and treatment of narcolepsy symptoms such as cataplexy can be dangerous and life-restricting notes Dr.

Orexin is a natural hormone produced in our brain that helps us to stay awake 2-4. Narcolepsy is a type of chronic brain disorder that affects your sleep-wake cycles. Hypocretin is an important neurochemical in your brain that helps regulate wakefulness and REM sleep. The National Organization for Rare Disorders reports that type 1 narcolepsy has been linked to low levels of hypocretin in the brain and that in some individuals 80 to 90 of.

Hypocretin levels are particularly low in those who experience cataplexy. The Cause of Narcolepsy with and without Cataplexy In most cases of narcolepsy with cataplexy and in rare cases without cataplexy all the symptoms are caused by the loss of approximately 70000 brain cells producing a chemical called hypocretin a finding made at Stanford University. Yet the most prevalent causes of cataplexy without narcolepsy are rare genetic diseases. The exact cause of narcolepsy is unknown.

Diagnosis is typically based on the symptoms and sleep studies after ruling out other potential causes.