Glossary

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z
AB - Automatic Behavior
Actigraph - A biomedical instrument used to measure body movement.
Active Sleep - Equivalent to REM sleep used in ontogenetic and phylogenetic literature
Amphetamine - central nervous system stimulant, usually amphetamine sulfates. Medically used to treat narcolepsy and certain types of mental depression. High doses are toxic and may cause addiction. Common side effects are anxiety, nervousness, insomnia, and weight loss (loss of appetite)
Automatic Behavior - Performing regular tasks without being fully conscious or aware. May cook, clean, drive, or hold conversations and not remember. Almost always, the task is not performed entirely properly (notes are just scribbles, items put away in the wrong place, etc.)
BID - "bidaily" - twice per day
C - Cataplexy
Cataplexy - sudden, brief loss of muscle control brought on by strong emotion or emotional response (laughter, excitement, surprise, anger, etc.) This may or may not cause full body collapse. In all cases, the patient is FULLY CONSCIOUS and aware but cannot move. Episodes last anywhere from a few seconds to many minutes
CWN - Children with Narcolepsy
Dx - diagnose, diagnosis
EDS - Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
HH - Hipnagogic Hallucination(s) or Hypnopompic Hallucination(s)
Hipnagogic - (Hallucination) pertaining to hallucinations, dreams, or images occurring just before the loss of consciousness
Hx - history, particularly medical history
Hypersomnia - 1. Excessive daytime sleepiness from any cause 2. Excessive daytime sleepiness lasting more than one hour at a time every day for several months; inability to feel refreshed after sleeping; excessively long periods of sleep (sleep time totaling more than 10 hours a day); no evidence of cataplexy or narcolepsy
Hypnagogic - (Hallucination) pertaining to hallucinations, dreams, or images occurring just before the loss of consciousness (also hipnagogic)
Hypnolepsy - Another word for Narcolepsy
Hypnopompic - (Hallucination) Of or pertaining to dreams or visual images persisting after sleep and before complete awakening
Hypocretins - neuropeptides produced by the hypothalamus influencing sleep and wakefulness. Also known as Orexins
Hypothalamus - gland located at the base of the frontal lobes in adults. Part of the brain damaged in narcolepsy. Plays a role in: maintaining balance of bodily fluids, body temperature regulation, energy metabolism, reproductive cycle, certain emotional responses, regulating the pituitary, sleep cycle and circadian rhythm, adrenalcortical levels, thyroid hormones, growth hormones, and more
Idiopathic - pertaining to illness or disease for which a cause is either uncertain or as yet undetermined
IH - Idiopathic Hypersomnia
lumbar puncture - collection of cerebrospinal fluid for diagnostic testing through insertion of a hollow needle usually at the level of the fourth intervertebral space (lower back). This is below the end of the spinal cord. In narcolepsy, cerebrospinal fluid may be tested for hypocretin levels
mg - milligrams
MSLT - "Multiple Sleep Latency Test" also known as "the nap test." Daytime sleep study to diagnose narcolepsy. Patients are instructed to nap every two hours for twenty minutes each. Diagnosis is based on how many times the patient actually slept, when REM was entered, and how long it took for the patient to go to sleep...the latency period
Narcolepsy - Greek meaning loosely "sleep seizure." Disorder marked by recurrent and uncontrollable attacks of daytime sleepiness, often associated with temporary muscular paralysis known as cataplexy.
NPO - nothing by mouth
Orexins - neuropeptides produced by the hypothalamus influencing sleep and wakefulness Also known as Hypocretins
PO - by mouth
PSG - "PolySomnoGram" An overnight sleep test in which heartbeat, oxygen saturation, brain waves, movement, and many other types of data are recorded for diagnostic purposes
PWN - Acronym for "People with Narcolepsy"
PWON - Acronym for "People without Narcolepsy"
QD - daily/every day
QHS - every night, bedtime, "every hour of sleep"
REM - "Rapid Eye Movement" - the stage of sleep in which we dream. Named in reference to the actual movements our eyes make during this time
Rx - prescribe, prescription
SP - Sleep Paralysis
Sx - depending on context, surgery/surgical, or symptoms
TD - four times a day
TID - three times a day
Tx - treatment

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