Narcolepsy is a neurological disease included among sleep disorders characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sleep disturbances in the REM phase. It is considered a rare disease because there are usually between 20-30 cases per 100,000 people and although in most cases it begins to suffer in adolescence, the diagnosis is very late (about six or ten years from the beginning symptoms appear). In Spain there are about 25,000 registered cases , but it is estimated that it only corresponds to 20% of total cases.
Narcolepsy is characterized by excessive sleepiness that makes people tend to fall asleep for short periods of time in almost any situation, sleep paralysis (that feeling that the affected person suffers when falling asleep or waking up for which they believe they cannot move or talking) and hypnagogic (sleeping) and hypnapompic (waking) hallucinations. The most serious cases lead to cataplexy , which is the sudden loss of muscle tone, which usually affects the facial muscles but can also occur in the extremities causing falls, injuries or serious trauma .
Although in principle it is not a fatal disease , the consequences can be very harmful for those affected both physically and psychically. Lack of self-control when it comes to falling asleep can be dangerous if the blackouts occur while doing everyday activities that require attention, such as driving . In addition, the fear of people suffering from narcolepsy to fall asleep makes them usually confine their activities and social relationships, withdrawing. A considerable incidence of anxiety or depression has been found among narcolepsy patients. Due to this type of situation, it is important to make the population aware of how to prevent and treat this disease and to try to advance its diagnosis.
One of the great problems of narcolepsy is late diagnosis. Its most well-known symptom, excessive daytime sleepiness and “irresistible” sleep attacks, is the main reason why patients visit the doctor, although this situation is usually postponed for years by attributing the problem to work stress or simple lack of sleep. The different symptoms of narcolepsy (to those already mentioned, eating disorders or sleepwalking should be added ) appear gradually and make early diagnosis difficult .
What causes it?
This neurological problem seems to be strongly influenced by a genetic factor and has its origin in the loss of neurons that synthesize hypocretin . This exciting hormone influences wakefulness and its absence is one of the main causes of this chronic sleep disorder . Despite the many advances made in recent decades, the trigger for this process is still unknown.
There is also no definitive cure for narcolepsy, but rather a series of palliative medications for the most serious symptoms that help those who suffer from it to lead a life as normal as possible. It is recommended that the treatment be personalized for each patient and that it combines the pharmacological aspect with behavioral strategies .
But the most important thing continues to be the awareness of the population so that they go to the doctor as soon as possible. This is partly why the European Narcolepsy Day was created, which is celebrated on March 18 every year.
