Questions About Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy, the word, is slightly misleading. The first part, “narco” is actually derived from a Greek term meaning “numbness” or “stupor.” In a later article, we’ll discuss why those are fitting descriptions, but here, think of them as how you feel just before you drift off at night. You might refer to it as being “half asleep.”
The second part of the word, “lepsy,” makes more sense. That is also derived from a Greek term, and it means “a fit,” or “seizure.” Together, Narcolepsy essentially means “a fit of sleep.”

Is Narcolepsy the same as Epilepsy?
Some people get concerned when they see “lepsy” or hear “seizure,” because “-lepsy” reminds them of “epilepsy,” the seizure disorder. It is true that the random sleep episodes associated with Narcolepsy are often mistaken as seizures, and some Narcoleptics experience a symptom called “Cataplexy” that causes them to lose control of their muscles and may also resemble a seizure. It is even common for someone with Narcolepsy to first be misdiagnosed with epilepsy, but the two conditions are very different conditions.
In most cases, epilepsy (and other seizures) involve the misfiring of electrical impulses in the brain and if prolonged can lead to various types of brain damage, or even death. Narcolepsy, however, involves a very specific area of cells that control specific functions and is not fatal.

So what is Narcolepsy and what causes it?
Narcolepsy starts when cells in the hypothalamus, a small area of the brain connected to the pituitary gland and involved with the production of several hormones, especially those having to do with sleep, are destroyed.
Most often, this occurs due to an autoimmune process, when the body’s immune system gets mixed up and starts attacking its own cells instead of just invaders. Sometimes, however, the hypothalamus may be damaged due to a birth defect, an injury, or some other unforeseeable event.

Could I get Narcolepsy?
Anyone can get Narcolepsy. Some people are born with it. Some doctors believe others are born with a gene that causes Narcolepsy after it is activated by an illness or serious life event. There are even cases where people have become Narcoleptic after being hit in the head and getting brain damage to the hypothalamus.
Narcolepsy has been documented in just about every culture, every country, and every creed. People have been diagnosed as early as infancy, or well into their retirement years. While having family members diagnosed with Narcolepsy appears to raise your chances of having the disease slightly, there are no known ways of lowering your risk at this time.

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