Narcolepsy Treatment | Hattiesburg Clinic

Narcolepsy Overview

Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder where the brain cannot regulate sleep-wake cycles, often causing patients to have episodes of sudden sleep attacks during normal daytime activities. While not fatal, these sleep attacks can happen in dangerous situations, like falling asleep while driving. It can also be difficult in social situations and can lead to a decreased quality of life. Hattiesburg Clinic’s board-certified sleep medicine experts can help manage narcolepsy to minimize its impact on daily life.

Symptoms of Narcolepsy
What causes narcolepsy?
How does Hattiesburg Clinic diagnose narcolepsy?
Is there a treatment for narcolepsy?
Our Multidisciplinary Approach
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Symptoms of Narcolepsy

Many know the stereotypical symptom of falling asleep during normal daytime activities, but narcolepsy is more than that. Narcoleptic episodes can also be cataplectic, where a person remains conscious but experiences a loss of muscle control. This loss of muscle control can range from drooping eyelids and head nodding to full-body collapse.

During normal REM sleep, the brain inhibits most voluntary muscle activity to prevent you from acting out dreams. Since narcoleptics have trouble regulating REM sleep, often big emotions such as excitement, surprise or anger can trigger a REM-like muscle loss.

What causes narcolepsy?

While the exact cause of narcolepsy is unknown there are several contributing factors:

A deficiency in hypocretin-producing neurons in the brain.

Certain genetic variations are associated with an increased risk of developing narcolepsy.

An autoimmune response where the body mistakenly attacks the hypocretin neurons.

Very rarely, narcolepsy can be triggered by head trauma or infections in the brain.

How does Hattiesburg Clinic diagnose narcolepsy?

In addition to an overnight sleep study at our clinic, Hattiesburg Clinic’s sleep medicine doctors will perform a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) to measure sleep onset and the presence of REM sleep during naps. In some cases, we may also recommend a spinal tap to measure hypocretin levels in cerebrospinal fluid.

Is there a treatment for narcolepsy?

While there is no cure, a combination of medication, behavior therapy and lifestyle modifications can help manage narcoleptic episodes. Modafinil (Provigil®) and Armodafinil (Nuvigil®) are the most common medications prescribed to promote wakefulness with fewer side effects compared to older stimulants. We often use Sodium Oxybate to treat cataplexy, improve nighttime sleep and reduce daytime sleepiness. SSRIs, SNRIs and tricyclic antidepressants can help manage cataplexy, sleep paralysis and hallucinations.

Our Multidisciplinary Approach

Working with our team of psychologists at Hattiesburg Clinic, narcoleptic patients can receive cognitive behavior therapy to manage the emotional and psychological impacts of the disorder, as well as manage emotional triggers that can help reduce the frequency of cataplexy episodes. Our therapists can also work with your family to create a support system and help with safety measures to prevent sudden sleep attacks or injuries from these sleep attacks.

Narcolepsy