Genetic factorsĪccording to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), research has suggested that certain genes are strongly related to narcolepsy. In recent years, researchers have progressed in understanding what’s behind low hypocretin levels in people with type 1 narcolepsy. People with type 2 narcolepsy, previously known as “narcolepsy without cataplexy,” tend to have normal levels of hypocretin. The different brain regions that regulate emotional responses are connected with the paralysis pathways. Ongoing research is also looking at why cataplexy is triggered by certain emotions. As a result, people with narcolepsy may be alert but have extreme difficulties sustaining alertness for long periods. With the loss of hypocretins, levels of serotonin and norepinephrine are also lower. In narcolepsy, this paralysis mixes into wakefulness, which causes the sudden muscle weakness and vivid hallucinations that people with narcolepsy experience. The brain sends signals to the muscles and limbs during this sleep stage to keep the muscles static to prevent us from acting out our dreams. People with narcolepsy can enter REM sleep within 15 minutes of falling asleep.ĭreams happen during REM sleep. Having low levels of hypocretin results in lasting sleepiness and poor control of REM sleep.įor the average person, REM sleep occurs 60 to 90 minutes after falling asleep. These critical brain chemicals help to prevent rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep from occurring at the wrong times. They are produced by a small cluster of neurons in a brain region called the hypothalamus, which plays a significant role in sleep patterns. Hypocretins are neurotransmitters - chemicals that send signals between neurons. Nearly all people with type 1 narcolepsy - or narcolepsy with cataplexy - have low levels of a naturally occurring chemical, hypocretin, that plays a significant role in promoting wakefulness and regulating sleep.
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