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.

Researchers encourage PCPs to screen for OSA in patients with Type 2 diabetes

Researchers in New Jersey are encouraging primary care physicians to screen for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients with Type 2 diabetes. They found that in a small sample of clinic patients, the risk for sleep apnea was high among diabetics compared with non-diabetics, and that sleep apnea appeared to be associated with carbohydrate craving.

13 Jun 2012

Depression, obesity two main culprits of excessive daytime sleepiness

Wake up, America, and lose some weight - it's keeping you tired and prone to accidents. Three studies being presented today at sleep 2012 conclude that obesity and depression are the two main culprits making us excessively sleepy while awake.

13 Jun 2012

OSA negatively impacts youths’ ability to regulate life skills

The number of children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) declines as they enter adolescence, but the teen years can be a devastating trial of behavior and learning problems for kids with persistent OSA, new research shows.

12 Jun 2012

Positive airway pressure reduces depressive symptoms in patients with OSA

Patients seen at the Cleveland Clinic Sleep Disorders Center who used positive airway pressure (PAP) to treat their obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) had improvements in their depressive symptoms, even if they followed the prescribed PAP regimen only partly, a new study reports.

12 Jun 2012

Researcher uncovers link between pro athlete's longevity and sleepiness

Coaches, owners and fantasy-league traders take note: Sleep researcher W. Christopher Winter, MD, has uncovered a link between a pro athlete's longevity and the degree of sleepiness experienced in the daytime.

12 Jun 2012

Adult fear of the dark may contribute to insomnia

A small study of Toronto college students is shedding light on a contributing factor of insomnia that might be hard to admit - an adult fear of the dark.

11 Jun 2012

Short sleep periods increase risk of stroke in normal-weight adults

Habitually sleeping less than six hours a night significantly increases the risk of stroke symptoms among middle-age to older adults who are of normal weight and at low risk for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a study of 5,666 people followed for up to three years.

11 Jun 2012

MRI scans reveal how sleep deprivation impairs brain regions associated with food processing

MRI scans from a study being presented today at SLEEP 2012 reveal how sleep deprivation impairs the higher-order regions in the human brain where food choices are made, possibly helping explain the link between sleep loss and obesity that previous research has uncovered.

11 Jun 2012

Study uses brain scans to better understand link between sleep restriction and obesity

The sight of unhealthy food during a period of sleep restriction activated reward centers in the brain that were less active when participants had adequate sleep, according to a new study using brain scans to better understand the link between sleep restriction and obesity.

11 Jun 2012

Sleep loss markedly exaggerates emotional reactivity in people with anxiety disorders

New research shows that sleep loss markedly exaggerates the degree to which we anticipate impending emotional events, particularly among highly anxious people, who are especially vulnerable.

11 Jun 2012

Mylan, Teva resolve generic Provigil litigation

Mylan Inc. today announced that its subsidiary Mylan Pharmaceuticals Inc. has resolved all disputes with Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, Inc. stemming from litigation brought by Mylan in federal court in the District of Columbia against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concerning Mylan's abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for Modafinil Tablets, 100 mg and 200 mg.

8 Jun 2012

With Adderall shortage, drug counterfeiters try to seize a market opportunity

A shortage of Adderall began last year, sending millions of people with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and narcolepsy on perpetual wild goose chases to find drugstores with the pills they need to stay alert and focused. So it's not surprising that Adderall counterfeiters have seized a big marketing opportunity. What is surprising is their clumsiness.

31 May 2012

Ritalin use in ADHD rises four-fold over a decade

According to latest figures prescriptions for Ritalin for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have quadrupled in a decade. This has raised concerns that it is being given to children at the expense of alternative treatments and without appreciation of long-term effects.

8 May 2012

Teva, Mylan settle patent infringement litigation for Nuvigil

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., one of the world's largest producers of pharmaceuticals, announces that it has settled patent infringement litigation regarding U.S. Patent Number 7,132,570 (the "'570 patent") with respect to Mylan Inc.'s ANDA for Teva's wakefulness product NUVIGIL (armodafinil) tablets.

30 Apr 2012

SK Biopharmaceuticals receives FDA Orphan Drug status for carisbamate

SK Biopharmaceuticals, a South Korean pharmaceutical company, announced today that it was granted special status by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for carisbamate for the management of patients with infantile spasms (IS), a form of epilepsy associated with increased risk of death or mental retardation.

20 Apr 2012

Par Pharmaceutical commences shipment of modafinil tablets

Par Pharmaceutical Companies, Inc. today announced that it began shipping all strengths of modafinil tablets, a generic version of Teva's Provigil brand.

7 Apr 2012

Roaring snores could be sounds of obstructive sleep apnea

Roaring snores that rumble a room or violent snorts for breath during sleep could be sounds of obstructive sleep apnea. While a true diagnosis is only possible with a sleep study, if left untreated, the sleep disorder could be fatal.

28 Mar 2012

SK Biopharmaceuticals initiates YKP10811 phase 2 trial in chronic constipation

SK Biopharmaceuticals, a South Korean pharmaceutical company, announced today that the first patient was dosed in a phase 2 clinical trial in the US for patients suffering with chronic constipation using their new chemical entity YKP10811.

17 Mar 2012

Children with chronic sleep problems may develop mental health disorders later in life

Children who have chronic sleep problems may be much more likely to develop mental health disorders as adolescents and adults, according to Candice Alfano, associate professor in clinical psychology at the University of Houston (UH) and director of the new Sleep and Anxiety Center for Kids (SACK).

11 Jan 2012

Parents blame swine flu vaccine for son’s narcolepsy

A six year old boy’s parents have claimed that he developed narcolepsy after a swine flu vaccination. Caroline Hadfield said son Josh lost muscle control and started sleeping up to 19 hours a day three weeks after being given Pandemrix nearly two years ago.

12 Dec 2011