Videos...Narcoleptic Dog (whoomp.com Narcolepsyis the sleep disorder that makes a person spontaneously fall asleep. They can't control their consciousness. So they fall asleep at random activities and times and stay awake when they're not suppose to. Narcolepsy can occur between the ages of 15 and 25, but essentially can occur at any point in a person's life. It cannot be diagnosed, so there is no treatment of any kind to prevent the outcome of narcolepsy.
The reason behind narcolepsy is not known today, but is still being researched to search for a reason. In some fields of study, scientists believe that narcolepsy is the result of the deficiency of hypocretin, a protein in the brain responsible for keeping you awake. Hypocretin is secreted by the hypothalamus in the brain. When there are abnormalities in the hypocretin secretion, REM or rapid eye movement sleep and sleep patterns are effected. There are experiments being conducted on narcolepsy now that use dogs and mice as test subjects. Scientists are trying to correct the deficiency of hypocretin in the animals with a narcolepsy drug. The symptoms of narcolepsy are cataplexy, sleep paralysis, automatic behavior, blurred vision, double vision, and many other 'sleepy' symptoms. EDS, or excessive daytime sleepiness, is a major symptom of narcolepsy. It simply means that you fall asleep easily, and with narcolepsy, you tend to fall asleep in the middle of the day instead of at night when you're suppose to. EDS can be fought mentally and you can supress the feeling of sleeping, but it will eventually become overpowering and you'll give in to sleep. Cataplexy is the sudden happening of muscle loss. Strong emotions such as laughing and surprise start cataplexy and the individual will have slurred speech, drooping head, or buckling of the knees. The person will still be conscious, but normally unable to speak or move. Treatments of narcolepsy vary between how severe the condition is. Stimulant medications, depression medication,and other medications can be taken to help reduce narcolepsy, but it is incurable. There are also therapy sessions that someone with narcolepsy can take to help them gain more sleep. Scheduled naps, sleep hygiene, and being sober are a few more things that someone can do to help. The person can not consume alcohol and cannot hold down a 'shift' job because of the random sleeping episodes they might encounter. The areas that are effected by narcolepsy are everywhere. Someone with narcolepsy cannot drive a vehicle, work long hours, and many other chores that we all do daily. They cannot fall asleep at the wheel because that's too dangerous, and schoolwork and regular work can be effected because it can be too overwhelming or it won't get done. Plus they have to take frequent naps, so they really won't get much done, which takes out having a job. Studies done today include tests on animals, such as mice and dogs. The inheritance of narcolepsy still remains a mystery for scientists, but in dogs, it is much more clear. The genes of a dog are easier to read than of a human when dealing with narcolepsy. With this research being done, new treatments or even a cure could be created because if scientists figure out the link between the genes of a dog and human when dealing with narcolepsy, a cure is likely to be found. The current study right now is that there is a deficiency in the gene, hypocretin. The studies with dogs are leading scientists closer to the answer, but until the connection between dog and human is made, there will be the mystery of hypocretin.
Videos...Narcoleptic Dog (whoomp.com
Narcolepsy is the sleep disorder that makes a person spontaneously fall asleep. They can't control their consciousness. So they fall asleep at random activities and times and stay awake when they're not suppose to. Narcolepsy can occur between the ages of 15 and 25, but essentially can occur at any point in a person's life. It cannot be diagnosed, so there is no treatment of any kind to prevent the outcome of narcolepsy.
The reason behind narcolepsy is not known today, but is still being researched to search for a reason. In some fields of study, scientists believe that narcolepsy is the result of the deficiency of hypocretin, a protein in the brain responsible for keeping you awake. Hypocretin is secreted by the hypothalamus in the brain. When there are abnormalities in the hypocretin secretion, REM or rapid eye movement sleep and sleep patterns are effected. There are experiments being conducted on narcolepsy now that use dogs and mice as test subjects. Scientists are trying to correct the deficiency of hypocretin in the animals with a narcolepsy drug.The symptoms of narcolepsy are cataplexy, sleep paralysis, automatic behavior, blurred vision, double vision, and many other 'sleepy' symptoms. EDS, or excessive daytime sleepiness, is a major symptom of narcolepsy. It simply means that you fall asleep easily, and with narcolepsy, you tend to fall asleep in the middle of the day instead of at night when you're suppose to. EDS can be fought mentally and you can supress the feeling of sleeping, but it will eventually become overpowering and you'll give in to sleep. Cataplexy is the sudden happening of muscle loss. Strong emotions such as laughing and surprise start cataplexy and the individual will have slurred speech, drooping head, or buckling of the knees. The person will still be conscious, but normally unable to speak or move.
Treatments of narcolepsy vary between how severe the condition is. Stimulant medications, depression medication,and other medications can be taken to help reduce narcolepsy, but it is incurable. There are also therapy sessions that someone with narcolepsy can take to help them gain more sleep. Scheduled naps, sleep hygiene, and being sober are a few more things that someone can do to help. The person can not consume alcohol and cannot hold down a 'shift' job because of the random sleeping episodes they might encounter.
The areas that are effected by narcolepsy are everywhere. Someone with narcolepsy cannot drive a vehicle, work long hours, and many other chores that we all do daily. They cannot fall asleep at the wheel because that's too dangerous, and schoolwork and regular work can be effected because it can be too overwhelming or it won't get done. Plus they have to take frequent naps, so they really won't get much done, which takes out having a job.
Studies done today include tests on animals, such as mice and dogs. The inheritance of narcolepsy still remains a mystery for scientists, but in dogs, it is much more clear. The genes of a dog are easier to read than of a human when dealing with narcolepsy. With this research being done, new treatments or even a cure could be created because if scientists figure out the link between the genes of a dog and human when dealing with narcolepsy, a cure is likely to be found. The current study right now is that there is a deficiency in the gene, hypocretin. The studies with dogs are leading scientists closer to the answer, but until the connection between dog and human is made, there will be the mystery of hypocretin.
//A Scientific Approach//
//Quick Facts//
//Symptoms of Narcolepsy//
Collaboration
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Works Cited
"Causes of Narcolepsy." Narcolepsy Index. 2009. Medicine.net. 3 Apr 2009 <http://www.medicinenet.com/narcolepsy/index.htm>.
Swierzewski, Stanly. "Narcolepsy." Treatment. 04 Dec 2007. Sleepchannel. 6 Apr 2009 <http://www.sleepdisorderchannel.com/narcolepsy/treatment.shtml>