Narcolepsy

1. Narcolepsy Ted Freeman Cody Ashley

2. What is the Disorder? • Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder, affecting the part of the brain that regulates when you sleep and when you’re awake. • (A condition characterized by frequent and uncontrollable periods of deep sleep.)

3. What are the Symptoms? • Excessive daytime sleepiness (with or without sudden sleep episodes) • Abnormal REM sleep. • Hallucinations • Sleep paralysis • Cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle control).

4. What are the Causes? • Scientists have discovered that people with narcolepsy are lacking in hypocretin (also called orexin), a chemical in the brain that activates arousal and regulates sleep. Narcoleptics generally do not have as many Hcrt cells (neurons that secrete hypocretin), which inhibits your ability to fully control your alertness and accounts for your tendency to fall asleep.

5. Ways to Control Narcolepsy • Counseling • Medication • Antidepressants • Sodium oxybate • Stimulants • Lifestyle changes

6. Disorder or Disease? • Disorder- a disturbance in physical or mental health or functions; malady or dysfunction. • Disease- A disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment.

7. Interesting Facts? • Narcolepsy affects about 1 in 2,000 people. • You never know when you will fall asleep.

8. Images

9. Sources • http://www.helpguide.org/life/narcolepsy_symptom_causes_treatments.htm • http://dictionary.reference.com/ • http://www.google.com/imghp?hl=en&tab=wi • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN1_yS6_5T4