Definitions for narcolepsy
ˈnɑr kəˌlɛp sinar·colep·sy

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. narcolepsynoun

   a sleep disorder characterized by sudden and uncontrollable episodes of deep sleep

   "he believes that narcolepsy is attributable to an inability to suppress REM sleep during waking"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. narcolepsynoun

   A disorder characterized by sudden and uncontrollable attacks of deep sleep, often brief, sometimes accompanied by paralysis and hallucinations

   Excitement induced narcolepsy caused him to sleep through the most important events of his life.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Narcolepsy

   Narcolepsy is a long-term neurological disorder that involves a decreased ability to regulate sleep–wake cycles. Symptoms often include periods of excessive daytime sleepiness and brief involuntary sleep episodes. About 70% of those affected also experience episodes of sudden loss of muscle strength, known as cataplexy. Narcolepsy paired with cataplexy is evidenced to be an autoimmune disorder. These experiences of cataplexy can be brought on by strong emotions. Less commonly, there may be vivid hallucinations or an inability to move (sleep paralysis) while falling asleep or waking up. People with narcolepsy tend to sleep about the same number of hours per day as people without, but the quality of sleep tends to be lessened.Narcolepsy is a clinical syndrome of hypothalamic disorder, however, the exact cause of narcolepsy is unknown, with potentially several causes. In up to 10% of cases, there is a family history of the disorder. Often, those affected have low levels of the neuropeptide orexin, which may be due to an autoimmune disorder triggered in genetically susceptible individuals by infection with H1N1 influenza. In rare cases, narcolepsy can be caused by traumatic brain injury, tumors, or other diseases affecting the parts of the brain that regulate wakefulness or REM sleep. Diagnosis is typically based on the symptoms and sleep studies, after ruling out other potential causes. Excessive daytime sleepiness can also be caused by other sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, major depressive disorder, anemia, heart failure, drinking alcohol and not getting enough sleep. The accompanying cataplexy may be mistaken for seizures.While there is no cure, a number of lifestyle changes and medications may help. Lifestyle changes include taking regular short naps and sleep hygiene. Medications used include modafinil, sodium oxybate and methylphenidate. While initially effective, tolerance to the benefits may develop over time. Tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may improve cataplexy.Estimates of frequency range from 0.2 to 600 per 100,000 people in various countries. The condition often begins in childhood, with males and females being affected equally. Untreated narcolepsy increases the risk of motor vehicle collisions and falls.Narcolepsy can occur anytime between early childhood and 50 years typically, however, there is no upper age limit to getting it, 15 and 36 years of age being the peak time periods of when it occurs.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. narcolepsy

   Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the brain's ability to control sleep-wake cycles. Individuals with this condition experience excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep paralysis, hallucinations, episodes of falling asleep suddenly during the day, and in some cases, a sudden loss of muscle tone known as cataplexy. The exact cause of narcolepsy is unknown, but it's often associated with reduced levels of hypocretin, a neurotransmitter that promotes wakefulness.

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Narcolepsy

   Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder caused by the brain's inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles normally. It often begins mildly and progresses over a period of time until it reaches full manifestation. People with narcolepsy often experience disturbed nocturnal sleep and an abnormal daytime sleep pattern, which often is confused with insomnia. Narcoleptics, when falling asleep, generally experience the REM stage of sleep within 5 minutes, while most people do not experience REM sleep until an hour or so later. REM sleep is where most dreams occur. One of the many problems that some narcoleptics experience is cataplexy, a sudden muscular weakness brought on by strong emotions. It often manifests as muscular weaknesses ranging from a barely perceptible slackening of the facial muscles to the dropping of the jaw or head, weakness at the knees, or a total collapse. Usually speech is slurred and vision is impaired, but hearing and awareness remain normal. In some rare cases, an individual's body becomes paralyzed and muscles become limp. Cataplexy also has a severe emotional impact on narcoleptics, as it can cause extreme anxiety, fear, and avoidance of people or situations that might elicit an attack. Some narcolepsy affected persons also experience heightened senses of taste and smell.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Narcolepsy

   nar′kō-lep-si, n. a nervous disorder marked by frequent short attacks of irresistible drowsiness.

U.S. National Library of MedicineRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Narcolepsy

   A condition characterized by recurrent episodes of daytime somnolence and lapses in consciousness (microsomnias) that may be associated with automatic behaviors and AMNESIA. CATAPLEXY; SLEEP PARALYSIS, and hypnagogic HALLUCINATIONS frequently accompany narcolepsy. The pathophysiology of this disorder includes sleep-onset rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which normally follows stage III or IV sleep. (From Neurology 1998 Feb;50(2 Suppl 1):S2-S7)

Matched Categories

1. • Hypersomnia

How to pronounce narcolepsy?

1. Alex

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How to say narcolepsy in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of narcolepsy in Chaldean Numerology is: 2

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of narcolepsy in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of narcolepsy in a Sentence

1. Russell Rosenberg:

   I certainly hope that Homer's story will bring more attention to (narcolepsy), he's not the typical case, although the fact that he is now being identified as having narcolepsy does exemplify the fact that many people can go years and years without getting the proper diagnosis.

2. Russell Rosenberg:

   He's not the typical case, although the fact that he is now being identified as having narcolepsy does exemplify the fact that many people can go years and years without getting the proper diagnosis, who knows if they have a sleep specialist or sleep laboratory in Springfield?

3. Samantha Holden:

   The earlier you can start people on treatments, the easier to enroll people in clinical trials to test new medications. borrow medicines from Alzheimer's to treat cognitive symptoms, from Parkinson's to treat motor symptoms, from narcolepsy to treat attention deficits and from psychiatry to treat behavioral symptoms.

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References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=narcolepsy
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Narcolepsy
3. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcolepsy
4. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
5. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=narcolepsy
6. ^ Chambers 20th Century Dictionary
   https://www.gutenberg.org/files/37683/37683-h/37683-h.htm#:~:text=narcolepsy