Low Cerebrospinal Fluid Hypocretin Levels Found in Familial Narcolepsy

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-1-2001

Department

Psychology

Abstract

Objective: This report describes abnormal hypocretin neurotransmission in a case of familial narcolepsy. Background: Narcolepsy is a chronic, often-disabling central nervous system disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and abnormal rapid eye movement (REM) sleep features including cataplexy, a loss of muscle tone triggered by emotion. The cause of human narcolepsy is unknown. Several familial cases have been described, but most cases are sporadic (95%). An abnormality of hypocretin neurotransmission has been found in a majority of sporadic cases. Methods: Hypocretin-1 levels were measured in the cerebrospinal fluid of the narcoleptic proband of a family with several affected members. Results: The proband was found to have a hypocretin-1 deficiency. Conclusion: Abnormal hypocretin neurotransmission is found in familial, as well as sporadic, narcolepsy. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Publication Title

Sleep Medicine

Volume

2

Issue

5

First Page

451

Last Page

453

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