cures for catalepsy and narcolepsy cataplexy

I don't think my dogs are narcoleptic, just lazy. The cataplexy and sleep paralysis reflect the encroachment of REM atonia into wakefulness resulting in muscle paralysis when it is not desired.

REM sleep is when dreaming occurs which explains the hypnagogic hallucination as there is no non-REM ( NREM) sleep to buffer dreaming from wakefulness (hypnagogic means sleep leading and refers to the transition sleep to awake and vice versa). Essentially this, alongside all the other symptoms suggests the brain does not follow the normal pattern of sleep. Most people take approximately 90 min to achieve this level of sleep and this is a really significant part of the problem. For sufferers this condition is understandably terrifying.Īnother of the defining characteristics of narcolepsy is that its sufferers seem to have the ability to enter deep rapid eye movement ( REM) sleep in as little as 10 min. Some only suffer from weakness in facial muscles that fades quickly but in severe cases the weakness can be felt in all skeletal muscles at the same time causing the sufferer to drop (if you'll mind the use of the word) into a paralysed state while remaining entirely conscious of their surroundings and what is happening to them. Cataplexy, like narcolepsy, has varying degrees of severity. Narcolepsy is characterised by four basic symptoms known as the ‘tetrad of narcolepsy’, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, hypnagogic hallucinations (hallucinations associated with the transition between asleep and awake) and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS).Ĭataplexy is simply one of the characteristics of narcolepsy and refers to a sudden onset muscle weakness, which can be experienced alongside or independently from narcolepsy. So what’s the difference and what’s the deal with narcolepsy? Credit: įurthermore narcolepsy is often confused with cataplexy, a related yet very distinct condition.

Cures for catalepsy and narcolepsy cataplexy