Gelineau’s syndrome
Overview
A neurological disorder sudden uncontrollable urge to sleep, sleep paralysis and other symptoms.
Symptoms
* Sudden sleep attack * Sleep paralysis * Hypnagogic hallucination * Sleep walking * Excessive daytime drowsiness
Diagnosis
* Obstructive sleep apnoea; this is a major cause of daytime sleepiness, occuring in 24% male population. * Insufficient night time sleep e.g. due to pain, coughing * Effects of prescribed medicines * Hypothalamic tumour * Chronic fatigue syndrome * Epilepsy
Prognosis
Narcolepsy cannot at present be cured and remains a chronic condition, although its symptoms may be controlled by the various measures outlined above. Narcolepsy does not affect intelligence, and performance at school or university can be optimised by controlling the symptoms.