Narcolepsy News and Research

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Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder, or dyssomnia. The condition is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in which a person experiences extreme fatigue and possibly falls asleep at inappropriate times, such as while at work or at school.

Lack of sleep may cause behavioral, learning and attention problems

Nine-year-old Fernando Perry-Mendoza may no longer need medication for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder thanks to the results of a sleep study at Doernbecher Children’s Hospital’s new Pediatric Sleep Program.

1 Sep 2004

Alzheimer’s sufferers are more likely to have jobs that are less mentally challenging than people without Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer's is a progressive form of presenile dementia that is similar to senile dementia except that it usually starts in the 40s or 50s; first symptoms are impaired memory which is followed by impaired thought and speech and finally complete helplessness

9 Aug 2004

From potent painkillers to humble cough syrups, the same medicines that help patients misused by teens

From potent painkillers to humble cough syrups, the same medicines that can help patients can also be misused to produce a high feeling. And they can hurt teens or hook them into addiction just as easily as other illicit drugs.

1 Jul 2004

Brain cells containing the chemical histamine are critical for waking

A study by scientists with the Veterans Affairs' Neurobiology Research Laboratory and UCLA Neuropsychiatric Institute shows that brain cells containing the chemical histamine are critical for waking.

27 May 2004

Research into sleeping disorder drug may help multiple sclerosis patients

A University of Nottingham academic is leading a research project looking at whether a drug produced for a sleeping disorder could improve the quality of life for thousands of multiple sclerosis patients.

17 May 2004

Small, frequent doses of caffeine best strategy for staying awake

Caffeine is the world's most widely-used stimulant yet, scientists still do not know exactly how it staves off sleep. Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School and other institutions have now discovered that caffeine works by thwarting one of two interacting physiological systems that govern the human sleep-wake cycle.

11 May 2004

Tablet of Modafinil may improve a schizophrenics memory

Researchers from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge recently identified a method of improving cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia, without the side-effects traditionally found with cognitive enhancers. Ms. Danielle Turner, together with colleagues from the University of Cambridge under the supervision of Prof. Barbara Sahakian, undertook research to explore the potential for a memory drug to improve cognition in patients with schizophrenia. The project received funding from the Wellcome Trust and the Medical Research Council. The work was published online on March 10 2004 at The American College of Neuropsychopharmacology website and is now in press in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

22 Mar 2004

Drug Based on Brain Chemical Could End Narcolepsy and Insomnia

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have discovered a potentially new avenue for treating human narcolepsy, and the work may also lead to more effective ways for insomniacs to boost their wakefulness during the daytime.

22 Mar 2004