Cataplexy News and Research

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Temporary increase in dopamine levels initiates sleep state transitions

Historically, the neurological mechanisms underlying sleep-cycle generation have been elusive. But now, researchers from Japan have uncovered new information about how the brain transitions from one sleep state to another.

15 Mar 2022

Increased levels of dopamine play an important role in transition to REM sleep, mice study suggests

What triggers the mammalian sleep cycle's shift between non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep? A new study in mice suggests increased levels of dopamine in a key region of the brain during NREM sleep play an important role in this transition.

3 Mar 2022

FDA approves a new indication for chronic sleep disorder treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved a new indication for Xywav for idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) in adults.

12 Aug 2021

Study uncovers a novel autoantigen in patients with narcolepsy type 1

Researchers at the University of Helsinki have identified influenza virus peptides that resemble human protein fragments and can cause an immune response against the body’s own cells due to cross-reactivity.

26 Apr 2021

Specific brain neurons could provide a target for treating sleep-related disorders

We laugh when we see Homer Simpson falling asleep while driving, while in church, and while even operating the nuclear reactor. In reality though, narcolepsy, cataplexy, and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder are all serious sleep-related illnesses.

14 Jan 2021

Why do we need sleep?

In this interview, Dr. Gina Poe speaks to News-Medical about why we sleep, and the importance of REM sleep for brain development.

7 Oct 2020

Scientists find new proof that narcolepsy is an autoimmune disease

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen have discovered autoreactive cells in persons suffering from narcolepsy.

15 Mar 2019

Heroin could could help patients with narcolepsy

A new study has found that users of heroin have high levels of a brain chemical called hypocretin. This hypocretin leads to “wakefulness” among the users and understanding this could help patients with narcolepsy.

29 Jun 2018

Research findings may pave way for miracle drug to treat narcolepsy

Narcolepsy, a serious sleep disorder in which patients often fall asleep uncontrollably, has been incurable because no effective therapeutic agents are available to date. Recent findings by Japanese scientists in the sleep institute may shed light on this challenging problem.

30 May 2017

Scientists develop potent compound that promotes wakefulness, remedies sleep disorder narcolepsy

Hiroshi Nagase, a Professor at the International Institute for Integrative Sleep Medicine (WPI-IIIS), University of Tsukuba, collaborated with Masashi Yanagisawa (Professor / Director of WPI-IIIS) and successfully developed a potent compound that promotes wakefulness and remedies the sleep disorder narcolepsy in model animals.

18 Nov 2015

FDA approves BELSOMRA® (suvorexant) for the treatment of insomnia

Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved BELSOMRA® (suvorexant) for adults with insomnia who have difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep. BELSOMRA (pronounced bell-SOM-rah) is a highly selective antagonist for orexin receptors.

15 Aug 2014

Jazz Pharmaceuticals' JZP-110 improves symptoms of EDS in adults with narcolepsy

Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc today presented data from the Phase 2b study evaluating JZP-110 (formerly known as ADX-N05) as a potential new treatment for the symptoms of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in adults with narcolepsy.

3 Jun 2014

Form of baclofen works better at treating narcolepsy

Neuroscientists at SRI International have found that a form of baclofen, a drug used to treat muscle spasticity, works better at treating narcolepsy than the best drug currently available when tested in mice.

8 May 2014

Study finds extraordinary link between narcolepsy and specific gene variant

A new study conducted across Europe found an extraordinary association between narcolepsy and a specific gene variant related to the immune system.

2 Jan 2014

Researchers discover how the body's muscles accidentally fall asleep while awake

Normally muscles contract in order to support the body, but in a rare condition known as cataplexy the body's muscles "fall asleep" and become involuntarily paralyzed. Cataplexy is incapacitating because it leaves the affected individual awake, but either fully or partially paralyzed. It is one of the bizarre symptoms of the sleep disorder called narcolepsy.

11 Oct 2013

Study proposes novel treatment for narcolepsy

Lancet Neurology, a prestigious journal in its domain, publishes in its last issue, an article entitled "Pitolisant versus placebo and modafinil in patients with narcolepsy: a double-blind randomised trial" authored by Y. Dauvilliers and others from the HARMONY I study group which proposes a novel treatment for this orphan disease. It is accompanied by a Commentary entitled "A need for new treatments in narcolepsy".

10 Oct 2013

Study shows possible biological cause of narcolepsy

In 2000, researchers at the UCLA Center for Sleep Research published findings showing that people suffering from narcolepsy, a disorder characterized by uncontrollable periods of deep sleep, had 90 percent fewer neurons containing the neuropeptide hypocretin in their brains than healthy people.

4 Jul 2013