Is Narcolepsy A Mental Disorder
Health Encyclopedia: Narcolepsy Causes
- Narcolepsy - Causes
- Highlights
- Introduction
- Find out about Narcolepsy Risk Factors
- Prognosis
- Diagnosis
- Treatment
Causes
Narcolepsy is a neurological sleep disorder. It is not caused by mental illness or psychological problems. It is most likely the end result of a number of genetic abnormalities that affect specific biologic factors in the brain, coupled with an environmental trigger such as a virus.
Researchers are attempting to come up with a unifying theory involving genetic factors, autoimmunity, and deficiencies in hypocretin, a brain peptide that is important in regulating sleep. Most of the research c...
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Expert & Community Posts
Sleep deprivation and your health
By Florence Cardinal , Health Expert...minor irritation to outbursts of temper to full-scale mental illness. In fact, along with... Read more »
Understanding Hallucinations
By Paul Ballas , Health Expert...hallucinations suggest the presence of the sleep disorder narcolepsy. Hallucinations are... Read more »
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia
By Florence Cardinal , Health Expert...other disorders. These include virus infections, mental illnesses, obesity, and, again, sleep... Read more »
Your Sleep Questions Answered, Part 1
By Allen Blaivas, M.D. , Health Expert...events. Question: My wife has been diagnosed with narcolepsy and suffers from "pressure in... Read more »
The Link Between Anxiety and Sleep Disorders
By Jerilyn Ross, M.A., L.I.C.S.W. , Health Expert...caused by an obstructed airway), sleepwalking, and narcolepsy (falling asleep spontaneously).... Read more »
Health Guide
Narcolepsy: Prognosis
PrognosisNarcolepsy is a life-long problem but it is not progressive. Symptoms may even lessen over time but they never completely disappear. In a 2001 study comparing older adults (over 65 years... Read more »Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Diagnosis
...bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Depression or anxiety not associated with a psychosis or severe mental illness does not rule out CFS.Symptoms of major depression include the following:A... Read more »Narcolepsy: Treatment
Lifestyle treatment of narcolepsy includes taking three or more scheduled sleep-times throughout the day. One study suggested that the best approach is a combination of scheduled nighttime... Read more »Narcolepsy: Highlights
Is Narcolepsy Hereditary?People whose close relatives have narcolepsy are more likely to have the sleep disorder themselves. The risk is highest for first-degree relatives (parents or... Read more »Narcolepsy: Resources
...Resourceswww.aasmnet.org -- American Academy of Sleep Medicinewww.sleepfoundation.org -- National Sleep Foundationwww.narcolepsynetwork.org -- Narcolepsy Networkwww.wfsrs.org -- World Federation... Read more »Images
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