Idiopathic Hypersomnia and Narcolepsy Information

Introduction

Hypersomnia is a symptom, not a disorder. Hypersomnia is often confused or interchanged with narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is most often caused by a genetic vulnerability to loss of hypocretin (a neuropeptide also called orexin that stabilizes wakefulness and controls REM sleep) due to auto-immune damage. Idiopathic Hypersomnia is an umbrella term for several rare neurological disorders that manifest hypersomnia as their main symptom. The commonality between these various diagnoses is that the brain displays excessive slow wave activity (delta waves) during non-REM sleep. This can be demonstrated using a testing method known as Polysomnography and Multiple Sleep Latency Testing. Idiopathic Hypersomnia symptoms often involve cognitive and/or emotional dysfunction in addition to hypersomnia, such as depression, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, irritability

Hypersomnia is a symptom, not a disorder.

Idiopathic hypersomnia is a symptom of an underlying disorder, not a disorder itself.

Idiopathic hypersomnia is a symptom of a sleep disorder (such as chronic fatigue syndrome or sleep apnea).

Idiopathic hypersomnia can be associated with other neurological disorders such as narcolepsy and Parkinson’s disease.

Idiopathic hypersomnia has also been linked to psychiatric conditions such as depression and anxiety

Hypersomnia is often confused or interchanged with narcolepsy.

Hypersomnia is often confused or interchanged with narcolepsy. However, these two disorders have vastly different causes, symptoms and treatments.

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness that has no known cause. The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) estimates that 1 in 2,000 people has narcolepsy and it affects both men and women equally. Narcolepsy can be treated with lifestyle changes and medication, but there’s no cure for this condition. People with narcolepsy experience brief episodes of muscle weakness during the day; these are called cataplexy attacks because they occur during strong emotions like laughter or anger (for example). When you’re laughing hard your muscles may momentarily become weak enough to cause you to collapse into a heap on the floor or make harsh sounds like “oof!” or “ugh!” That’s why most people are able to laugh off their cataplexy attacks without being identified as having a medical condition!

Narcolepsy is most often caused by a genetic vulnerability to loss of hypocretin (a neuropeptide also called orexin that stabilizes wakefulness and controls REM sleep) due to auto-immune damage.

Narcolepsy is most often caused by a genetic vulnerability to loss of hypocretin (a neuropeptide also called orexin that stabilizes wakefulness and controls REM sleep) due to auto-immune damage. This vulnerability can be triggered by one or more environmental factors such as viral infection, emotional trauma, or stress. Autoimmune destruction of hypocretin cells results in narcolepsy and loss of the ability to regulate sleep/wake cycles normally (Dauvilliers et al., 2000; Montplaisir et al., 2003). The exact reason why some people have this autoimmune destruction while others don’t is not known.

Idiopathic Hypersomnia is an umbrella term for several rare neurological disorders that manifest hypersomnia as their main symptom.

Idiopathic hypersomnia is an umbrella term for several rare neurological disorders that manifest hypersomnia as their main symptom. Some of these disorders include:

Idiopathic Hypersomnia (IH) with Cataplexy
Idiopathic Hypersomnia with Congenital Narcolepsy Type 1 (IH/CNV1)
Non-24-Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder (N24HSWD)

Although IH and narcolepsy share some symptoms, these two conditions are very different from one another. In fact, researchers believe that there may be different genetic causes behind each disorder.

The commonality between these various diagnoses is that the brain displays excessive slow wave activity (delta waves) during non-REM sleep. This can be demonstrated using a testing method known as Polysomnography and Multiple Sleep Latency Testing.

The commonality between these various diagnoses is that the brain displays excessive slow wave activity (delta waves) during non-REM sleep. This can be demonstrated using a testing method known as Polysomnography and Multiple Sleep Latency Testing.

Polysomnography measures brain waves, heart rate, breathing rate and eye movements while you sleep. It is used to diagnose sleep disorders such as narcolepsy or insomnia.

Idiopathic Hypersomnia symptoms often involve cognitive and/or emotional dysfunction in addition to hypersomnia, such as depression, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and irritability.

You may experience cognitive and/or emotional dysfunction in addition to hypersomnia, such as depression, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, and irritability.

Cognitive dysfunction: This can include problems with memory and attention span. Though these are common complaints of most people who feel tired or sleepy during the day, this symptom is more severe in patients with idiopathic hypersomnia.
Emotional dysfunction: You might find it harder to feel happy or optimistic about things that usually make you happy or optimistic. You may also feel sad for seemingly no reason at all.

Chronic sleepiness may be complicated by the presence of comorbid sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea, periodic limb movement disorder, delayed sleep phase syndrome, or restless legs syndrome.

While the symptoms of idiopathic hypersomnia are similar to those of narcolepsy and can overlap with those from comorbid sleep disorders, it is important to note that there are differences. These include:

Idiopathic hypersomnia may be a lifelong condition; however, it can progress over time. Narcolepsy often occurs in childhood or adolescence and will remit in most cases over time.
When people with idiopathic hypersomnia fall asleep, they generally do not have muscle weakness (or cataplexy), although some cases have been reported where excessive sleepiness could be accompanied by sudden loss of muscle tone (e.g., while sitting down).

Conclusion

If you think that you have Idiopathic Hypersomnia or Narcolepsy, it is important to see a doctor. A sleep study may be recommended to help diagnose your condition and determine whether or not treatment options are available. The good news is that there are a number of treatments available for hypersomnia, including stimulants such as modafinil (Provigil), armodafinil (Nuvigil) and amphetamines like Adderall or Dexedrine. Other drugs such as antidepressants can also help treat depression symptoms associated with chronic sleepiness. If you feel comfortable discussing your symptoms with your physician, tell them about any other medications (prescription or over-the-counter) that you are taking because some drugs can make it harder for patients with hypersomnia to fall asleep at night when taken during the day time hours