Narcolepsy And Hypocretin-cause and treatment

Narcolepsy is a rare and chronic neurological (sleep) disorder. People often experience hallucinations and episodes of sleep at any time of the day.?

Sleep is a universal phenomenon every living being experiences daily. Yet, it is a complex process involving numerous neurotransmitters acting and reacting upon one another. The basic structure of sleep comprises three states:

1. Wakefulness (later becomes Initiation of sleep)
2. Non-REM Sleep
3. REM Sleep

REM sleep is where dreams occur. REM means Rapid Eye Movement, indicating that the last stage of a sleep cycle shows rapid eye movements as well as Atonia (Muscles are paralyzed so that we won’t act upon our dreams). The EEG activity of REM sleep and wakefulness shows an uncanny resemblance.

Narcolepsy is when one experiences episodes of REM Sleep during the daytime and sometimes also a sudden loss of motor movements (cataplexy) with the fragmentation of sleep.

A hypothalamic peptide discovered in the late 90s known as Orexin/Hypocretin appears to be the most effective treatment for this condition. There is a genetic mutation for the orexin receptor that causes Narcolepsy. Degeneration of hypocretin neurons and elimination of the same in the CSF (Cerebrospinal fluid) can cause this disorder. Though the core reason for this is not known, a potential cause might also be autoimmunity.?

Ectopic production of orexin from a prepo-orexin transgene or injecting orexin-A in the intracerebroventricular area of the brain is an effective way to treat Narcolepsy.

References:

Orexin and narcolepsy:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30426515/

Orexin and sleep: https://www.coursera.org/learn/sleep/lecture/OCGul?t=941

Orexin- an effective treatment: https://vjneurology.com/video/o1kh9-ph3-s-orexin-narcolepsy-and-future-treatment/