Five percent of the population would be affected by this disease whose causes are still unknown.
Sleep is vital but it can be invasive. Two out of 10,000 people are said to be suffering from narcolepsy-cataplexy. This sleep disorder causes sudden drowsiness during the day. For those affected, the disease can be very difficult to live with.
Sudden falling asleep
Also called Gélineau’s disease, narcolepsy-cataplexy generally affects young adults: the first peak of onset of the disease is around the age of 15 and the second around 35. Sick people suffer from excessive daytime sleep: they experience sudden drowsiness that can last between 10 minutes and 1 hour. The second main symptom is the attack of cataplexy, it is a relaxation of muscle tone without loss of consciousness: 70% of people with narcoleptics are affected. Often, it is emotions that trigger these crises, a giggle for example. In some cases, hallucinations and sleep paralysis, the inability to move while the person is awake, may appear.
Unknown causes
The scientific community has failed to identify the precise causes of narcolepsy-cataplexy. It could be of genetic origin or linked to environmental factors such as intense stress, viral or bacterial infection or emotional overload.
This chronic disease is generally lifelong; treatments only relieve the symptoms. Doctors generally prescribe modafinil, which helps fight daytime sleepiness, antidepressants to prevent cataplexy attacks and sometimes sleeping pills. At the same time, patients must adapt their lifestyle and learn some preventive behaviors to reduce the risk of accidents. In France, people with the disease can only drive if they are under treatment and the driving license is only issued for one year.
A disrupted way of life
The Orphanet Encyclopedia highlights the consequences of the disease on daily life. Patients generally have more difficulty learning and concentrating. In the youngest, it can disrupt the course of the school career, hence the need to inform teachers and educational teams. Students usually need third time to pass their exams. In professional life, a suitable working environment is also necessary to avoid accidents.
Intimacy and sentimental life can also be affected: patients suffer from libido disorders. The French Association of Narcolepsy Cataplexy and Rare Hypersomnia highlights the difficulties encountered by women with the disease: treatments can reduce the effectiveness of the contraceptive pill and must often be interrupted during pregnancy.
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