NIH Radio
Narcolepsy – 2
Narrator: This is NIH Health Matters. I’m Joe Balintfy. Narcolepsy is a rare, chronic disorder of the central nervous system. Only about one in 200-thousand people have it. Those who do, experience irresistible and sudden bouts of sleep. NIH researcher Dr. Giovanni Cizza adds that another symptom of narcolepsy is called cataplexy.
Cizza: Which is when the muscle tone disappears.
Narrator: The loss of muscle tone in cataplexy can be barely noticeable, involving no more than a momentary sense of slight weakness in a limited number of muscles, for example, mild drooping of the eyelids. The most severe attacks result in a complete loss of tone in all voluntary muscles. For more information about narcolepsy and its symptoms, visit www.ninds.nih.gov. Health Matters is produced by the NIH, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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