Causes

Scientists do not know what causes narcolepsy, but they think that it may be due to a biochemical defect of the central nervous system. The disorder sometimes runs in families, but most people with narcolepsy have no relatives with the disorder.
 

Symptoms

Excessive daytime sleepiness occurs every day, regardless of the amount of sleep obtained at night. Patients describe the problem as sleepiness, tiredness, lack of energy, exhaustion, or a combination of these feelings.

Other symptoms of narcolepsy include:

• Excessive daytime sleepiness and abnormal REM
• Disturbed nighttime sleep: tossing and turning, nightmares, and frequent awakenings during the night
• Dreamlike hallucinations or feeling as if some one were in the room, can occur while dozing or falling asleep.
• Possible increased leg movements during sleep
• There may be normal deep sleep but still not a restful sleep
• Sudden onset of muscle weakness (cataplexy) lasting a few seconds, to minutes, often affects both sides of the body
• Depression, strains on relationships, and job pressure may occur as a result
• Falls, fractures, and accidents while driving may also occur

Treatment

There is no cure for narcolepsy. The symptoms can be managed with medication or lifestyle adjustment. For improving daytime wakefulness, the traditional stimulants - dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), methylphenidate (Ritalin), and pemoline (Cylert) are used.