First of all, what the heck is cataplexy? You may ask if you are unfamiliar the term.
Cataplexy is what happens when a person suddenly loses all voluntary muscle control, and most people with this condition also have narcolepsy. Frequently, cataplexy is caused by a strong emotion such as laughter, anger, or sorrow, and can literally make a person drop to the ground.
Scientists have begun to question why ALL people with narcolepsy don’t have cataplexy—and why some do. A recent discovery may answer that question, and it all comes down to a hypothalamic neuropeptide called orexin which regulates sleep, arousal, and appetite. Some people with narcolepsy are deficient in orexin and that’s what seems to cause the loss of muscle control.
To read a really great article about cataplexy, narcolepsy and orexin posted on braindecoder.com, click here.
The original research report was published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
