How is narcolepsy with cataplexy diagnosed?
Type 1 narcolepsy (previously termed narcolepsy with cataplexy). This diagnosis is based on the individual either having low levels of a brain hormone (hypocretin) or reporting cataplexy and having excessive daytime sleepiness on a special nap test.
How do you test for cataplexy?
There isn’t a specific test to detect cataplexy, although it has been suggested that video recordings of episodes may be a helpful tool9. Cataplexy is usually diagnosed based on an interview with patients and their families10. In an interview, doctors are looking for the classic signs of cataplexy.
What is a common misdiagnosis of narcolepsy?
In a physician survey and retrospective chart review study of 252 patients with narcolepsy, 60% of patients had initially received a misdiagnosis of another disorder. The most common misdiagnoses included depression (~31%), insomnia (~18%), and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) (~13%).
What confirms a diagnosis of narcolepsy?
Diagnosis and Tests
Two essential sleep studies to confirm a diagnosis of narcolepsy are the polysomnogram (PSG) and the multiple sleep latency test (MSLT). These tests are usually performed in a sleep disorders center and require an overnight stay.
What is the blood test for narcolepsy?
Multiple sleep latency test
If you have narcolepsy, you’ll usually fall asleep easily and enter rapid eye movement (REM) sleep very quickly. You may also have a blood test to find out whether you have a genetic marker known as HLA DQB * 0602, which is associated with narcolepsy.
How rare is narcolepsy with cataplexy?
Narcolepsy with cataplexy or narcolepsy type 1 in a rare, disabling sleep disorder, with a prevalence of 20 to 30 per 100,000. Its onset peaks in the second decade. The main features are excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy or sudden less of muscle tone triggered by emotional situations.
What mimics cataplexy?
Cataplexy mimics include syncope, epilepsy, hyperekplexia, drop attacks and pseudocataplexy. They can be differentiated from cataplexy using thorough history taking, supplemented with (home)video recordings whenever possible.
Is there a definitive test for narcolepsy?
If CSF hypocretin-1 is below 110 pg/ml, the diagnosis is consistent with narcolepsy caused by hypocretin deficiency. This particular test was first developed at Stanford and is the most definitive test for narcolepsy.
Can a blood test detect narcolepsy?
If you have narcolepsy, you’ll usually fall asleep easily and enter rapid eye movement (REM) sleep very quickly. You may also have a blood test to find out whether you have a genetic marker known as HLA DQB * 0602, which is associated with narcolepsy.
What are the 5 signs of narcolepsy?
There are 5 main symptoms of narcolepsy, referred to by the acronym CHESS (Cataplexy, Hallucinations, Excessive daytime sleepiness, Sleep paralysis, Sleep disruption). While all patients with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness, they may not experience all 5 symptoms.
Does narcolepsy show up on an MRI?
Imaging studies such as MRI are useful for excluding rare causes of symptomatic narcolepsy. Structural abnormalities of the brain stem and diencephalon may present as idiopathic narcolepsy. In patients with secondary narcolepsy, MRI of the brain may show various abnormalities that correspond to the underlying cause.
Does narcolepsy show up on an EEG?
Conclusion: Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder. A definite diagnosis is established when the symptoms of cataplexy and excessive daytime sleepiness occur in association with the characteristic findings on sleep EEG monitoring.
Is narcolepsy with cataplexy a disability?
Narcolepsy isn’t one of the conditions the SSA considers a disability. But if your symptoms interfere with your ability to do your job, you may still qualify for benefits. The Disability Benefits Help website offers a free evaluation to help you determine whether your condition is considered a disability.
Is narcolepsy with cataplexy hereditary?
First-degree relatives (parents, siblings, and children) of people with narcolepsy with cataplexy have a 40 times greater risk of developing the condition compared with people in the general population.
Can I have cataplexy without narcolepsy?
The vast majority of people who experience cataplexy do so as a result of having type 1 narcolepsy, a chronic sleep and neurological disorder in which the brain has trouble properly controlling wake and sleep cycles. In very rare cases, cataplexy has been reported in individuals without narcolepsy, notes past research.
Can a neurologist diagnose narcolepsy?
You don’t need to see a neurologist for the diagnosis or treatment of narcolepsy. But many leading neurologists do specialize in sleep disorders and work at sleep medicine practices. ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor. ENT doctors can address nasal and airway obstructions.
What is Type 2 narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy type 2 (narcolepsy without cataplexy) is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and abnormal manifestations of REM sleep on polysomnography and multiple sleep latency testing. Cataplexy is absent.
What is the most common cause of narcolepsy?
Many cases of narcolepsy are thought to be caused by a lack of a brain chemical called hypocretin (also known as orexin), which regulates sleep. The deficiency is thought to be the result of the immune system mistakenly attacking parts of the brain that produce hypocretin.
Do neurologists treat narcolepsy?
Do all narcoleptics have cataplexy?
Not everyone with narcolepsy experiences cataplexy. Sleep paralysis. People with narcolepsy often experience a temporary inability to move or speak while falling asleep or upon waking. These episodes are usually brief — lasting a few seconds or minutes — but can be frightening.
What does cataplexy feel like?
Cataplexy is sudden muscle weakness triggered by strong emotions like embarrassment, laughter, surprise, or anger. Cataplexy can cause your head to drop, your face to droop, your jaw to weaken, or your knees to give way. Attacks can also affect your whole body and cause you to fall down.
What cataplexy feels like?
What kind of doctor handles narcolepsy?
Neurologist. You don’t need to see a neurologist for the diagnosis or treatment of narcolepsy. But many leading neurologists do specialize in sleep disorders and work at sleep medicine practices. ENT (ear, nose, and throat) doctor.
How does a neurologist diagnose narcolepsy?
They’ll take some fluid from your spine to find out if you have enough of a brain chemical called hypocretin. It helps you sleep and wake up at the right times. Your doctor also might run a blood test or brain scan to make sure that you really have narcolepsy and not a different condition.
Is Adderall good for narcolepsy?
Adderall is a prescription medication that doctors commonly prescribe to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. Adderall can also help treat narcolepsy, which is a sleep disorder.