In addition, the presence of gliosis, or neural scarring, in the hypocretin cell region indicates a degenerative process. The discovery suggests that the replacement of missing hypocretin neuropeptides produced by Hcrt cells may reverse some of the symptoms of the incurable disease. While it is clear that the degenerative loss of Hcrt cells is directly linked to narcolepsy, the cause of this cell loss remains to be determined. An autoimmune attack on Hcrt neurons or a sensitivity of the cells to specific environmental or biological toxins are possibilities. The disease causes overwhelming sleepiness and cataplexy, a loss of muscle tone triggered by sudden strong emotions such as laughter and impulsive anger.
Most narcoleptic patients experience sleepiness rather than cataplexy.
Narcoleptics go through life feeling the way most individuals would feel after staying awake for 48 hours. They awake refreshed from naps but soon feel sleepy again. Their nighttime sleep is fragmented with less of the deeper stages of sleep. Post a message now .