Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy

Dorita Barnett-Lewis

Medical Terminology

Marsha Nicholson

July 7, 2011

My sister-in-law and her parents, Judy and Don were over having sunday dinner. Like we usually do we all gathered in the living room for conversation. Don was telling us a few stories of his childhood, when suddenly he just fell asleep for 2 or 3 minutes. My mother said, "Don, are you okay?" He said, "Yes, I'm fine." Donna, my sister in-law said that she thinks her dad has some kind of sleeping disorder, he falls asleep often in the middle of conversations and sometimes while driving his vehicle. Don stated that he had went to the doctor and they are running test to see if he has a sleeping disorder called Narcolepsy. I asked Don what it was, but he wasn't really sure. I want to know more about this disorder.

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder that occurs when the brain fails to regulate sleep-wake cycles. At various times throughout the day, people with narcolepsy experience the fleeting urge to sleep. If the urge becomes overwhelming, that person will fall asleep for periods lasting from a few seconds to several minutes. In rare cases, some people may remain asleep for an hour or longer. There is no known cure for narcolepsy. The classic narcolepsy symptom is excessive and overwhelming daytime sleepiness. Three other classic symptoms, which may not occur in all people, are: Cataplexy, Sleep paralysis, and Hypnagogic hallucinations.

Cataplexy is another symptom of narcolepsy. This is a sudden episode of loss of muscle function, ranging from slight weakness (such as limpness at the neck or knees, sagging facial muscles, or inability to speak clearly) to complete body collapse. Attacks may be triggered by sudden emotional reactions, such as laughter, anger, or fear and may last from a few seconds to several minutes. This person remains conscious throughout the...