Narcolepsy Senior Project Power Point Presented By : Ziera M. High English 4 Honors Period : 4/5

Narcolepsy Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder that causes excessive sleeping and frequent daytime sleep attacks. The word narcolepsy comes from two Greek words roughly translated as "seized by numbness."

Symptoms Periods of extreme drowsiness during the day. The drowsiness may happen after eating, while driving, talking to someone, or during other situations. -Hallucinations : Seeing Or Hearing Things That Is Not There -Sleep paralysis : Not Able To Move While Going To Sleep -Cataplexy : Sudden Loss Of Muscles , Makes You Unable To Move.

Complications -Difficulty functioning at work -Difficulty with social activities -Injuries and accidents, if attacks occur during activities -Side effects of medications used to treat the disorder -Sleep Disturbance -Reduced Levels Of Consciousness Complications

Expectations Narcolepsy is not deadly, but it may be dangerous if situations occur during driving, operating machinery or any similar activities. Narcolepsy can usually be controlled with treatment.

Depression Having narcolepsy can make you feel low. Wanting to engage in activities but always having sudden sleep attacks can be depressing. Physically and emotionally narcolepsy damages you.

Signs and tests -Insomnia -Restless Leg Syndrome -Seizure -Sleep Apnea Doctors perform a physical exam and order blood work to test conditions that can cause similar symptoms. -Insomnia -Restless Leg Syndrome -Seizure -Sleep Apnea Signs and tests

Other Test Of Narcolepsy -ECG (measures the heart's electrical activity) -EEG (measures the brain's electrical activity) Genetic testing to look for narcolepsy gene -Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) to see how long it takes you to fall asleep during a daytime nap. Patients with narcolepsy fall asleep much faster than people without the condition.

Medications PROVIGIL NUVIGIL Provigil is a wake-promoting medication for treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness. Unlike other stimulant medications, Provigil has a milder and more targeted effect on the central nervous system. Nuvigil is the latest approved wakefulness medication for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy.

Age Rates Of Narcolepsy More Facts On Narcolepsy The age of onset, patients find that the symptoms tend to get worse over the two to three decades after the first symptom appears. Many older patients find that some daytime symptoms decrease in severity after age 50. Narcolepsy is estimated to affect about one in every 2,000 Americans, men and women equally. Heredity some people may inherit a gene that affects hypocretin. Up to ten percent of people who have narcolepsy report having a relative with the same symptoms.

Avoid Fat Foods, Alcohol & Cigarettes It may seem fun but all the games go out the window when your not healthy A narcoleptic patient must drink right, eat right and stay away from harmful addictions. Avoiding fat foods, alcohol and cigarettes can cause a person with narcolepsy or any person stay healthy and keep their pressure down.

Causes & Incidence People with narcolepsy is caused to reduced protein called hypocretin which causes the brain to produce less protein. It may be possible that narcolepsy is an autoimmune disorder, which is when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.

Lifestyles & Home Remedies -Planning naps to control daytime sleep and reduce the number of unplanned, sudden sleep attacks -Eating light meals during the day and avoiding heavy meals before important activities. -Scheduling a brief nap 15 minutes after meals. If possible -Telling teachers or supervisors about the condition so you are not fired or penalized for being "lazy" at school or work

Prevention There is no known way to prevent narcolepsy. Treatment may reduce the number of attacks. Avoid situations that aggravate the condition if you are prone to attacks of narcolepsy.

And That’s All Folks  Any Questions ?