Hallucinations: Usually, these delusional experiences are vivid and frequently frightening. It can cause symptoms ranging from slurred speech to total body collapse, depending on the muscles involved, and is often triggered by intense emotions such as surprise, laughter, or anger. People with EDS report mental cloudiness, a lack of energy and concentration, memory lapses, a depressed mood, and/or extreme exhaustion.Ĭataplexy: This symptom consists of a sudden loss of muscle tone that leads to feelings of weakness and a loss of voluntary muscle control. In many cases, narcolepsy is undiagnosed and, therefore, untreated.Įxcessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS): In general, EDS interferes with normal activities on a daily basis, whether or not a person with narcolepsy has sufficient sleep at night. Narcolepsy usually begins between the ages of 15 and 25, but it can become apparent at any age. These sudden sleep attacks may occur during any type of activity at any time of the day. People with narcolepsy experience excessive daytime sleepiness and intermittent, uncontrollable episodes of falling asleep during the daytime. Swiss Narcolepsy Scale: A simple screening tool for hypocretin-deficient narcolepsy with cataplexy.Narcolepsy is a neurological disorder that affects the control of sleep and wakefulness. Symptom measures in pediatric narcolepsy patients: A review. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy. We link primary sources - including studies, scientific references, and statistics - within each article and also list them in the resources section at the bottom of our articles. Medical News Today has strict sourcing guidelines and draws only from peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. A doctor or specialist may order sleep tests to help determine whether another cause may be disturbing a person’s sleep patterns and leading to daytime sleepiness. Narcolepsy often requires a review of both symptoms and medical history. Self-assessment can help determine whether a person may have narcolepsy or support a referral to a specialist. How do you test for narcolepsy symptoms?ĭoctors may start assessments using a narcolepsy symptoms screener. People have a higher risk of developing symptoms in the spring and summer which may have to do with the body’s response to certain infections that cause the immune system to attack healthy cells. Narcolepsy also tends to follow a seasonal pattern. Hormonal changes may also lead to symptoms of narcolepsy. However, experts believe that strong, sudden emotions may trigger cataplexy. People may have different triggers for narcolepsy. A doctor will need to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms a person experiences. Other conditions may cause some of them to occur. Having one of these symptoms does not necessarily mean a person has narcolepsy. changes in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.The five most common signs of narcolepsy include: The following section answers common questions about narcolepsy. It can provide reliable distinctions between people with narcolepsy and sleep apnea, the latter being the most common cause of sleepiness noted in sleep clinics. The Ullanlinna Narcolepsy Scale is a set of 11 questions that also asks about unusual sleeping tendencies and cataplexy. The scale asks questions related to cataplexy and awakenings during sleep. However, it can help doctors determine if additional tests or a referral are necessary.īy contrast, the Swiss Narcolepsy Scale is a five-question, self-reported survey that a 2018 study showed is more accurate than the Epworth sleepiness scale. These scores do not mean a person has narcolepsy. A person who scores 11 or higher means they have a high level of daytime sleepiness. A score of 10 or less puts a person within a typical range. Narcolepsy symptom screeners are typically self-assessments that measure a person’s daytime sleepiness levels and other key symptoms of narcolepsy.Ī healthcare professional may provide the assessment to a person who describes daytime sleepiness.ĭifferent screeners pose different questions and have different scoring methods.įor example, the Epworth Sleepiness Scale asks a person to rank how likely they would be to fall asleep during certain activities throughout the day, such as while sitting, watching TV, or riding in a car.
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