8/18/2023 0 Comments Symptoms of cataplexySpeech may be slurred, and eyesight impaired (double vision, inability to focus) but hearing and awareness remain undisturbed. The loss of muscle tone that occurs may range from a just-perceptible weakening of the facial muscles through weakness at the knees, to total collapse on the floor. Note: If you don't have narcolepsy, your primary care doctor can use blood, urine, or genetic testing to diagnose other causes of cataplexy, like Wilson's disease, Niemann-Pick disease type C, and Prader-Willi syndrome.Cataplexy is the term given to sudden muscular weakness triggered by strong emotions such as laughter, anger and surprise. Take several supervised naps at a sleep center so specialists can determine how quickly you fall asleep.Spend the night at a sleep center to have your breathing, muscles, and brain activity during sleep monitored via polysomnography.Keep a sleep journal that tracks your fatigue and other symptoms.Cataplexy is usually preceded by excessive daytime sleepiness, so it's often diagnosed alongside narcolepsy in a sleep center.įor a formal diagnosis, your doctor might also ask you to: If your doctor does suspect cataplexy, they may refer you to a sleep specialist. This information can help them find the right diagnosis, since it's conscious muscle weakness that distinguishes cataplexy from fainting or seizures. ![]() Tell your doctor if you're ever fully conscious when you experience muscle weakness. "Cataplexy mimics symptoms of seizures and brain tumors, so you should visit your clinician to rule out other severe ailments," Mitchell says. Studies in mice show reducing activity in these parts of the brain also reduces cataplexy. ![]() So, why do intense emotions result in temporary paralysis? The amygdala and prefrontal cortex in your brain control your emotions - but these regions also connect to your brain's paralysis pathways.Įxperts believe your brain may associate intense emotions with paralysis, inadvertently causing cataplexy. "A teen starting high school or college may experience symptoms due to peer pressure or workload, while young adults might experience uncontrollable muscle twitching when overwhelmed with excitement around friends and family," Mitchell says. Nancy Mitchell, a registered nurse at Assisted Living Center, says these emotional triggers vary widely. However, intense emotions like laughter, sadness, fear, and excitement can all trigger cataplexy. Low levels of this hormone may cause the same muscle weakness during the day you'd otherwise experience while asleep. People who experience cataplexy typically have lower brain levels of hypocretin, a hormone that helps control your sleep and energy levels. In short, it doesn't pose a serious threat to your health.Įxperts believe a hormone deficiency may cause this symptom. You'll still breathe during an episode, and your heart will continue to pump blood. Note: Cataplexy only affects your skeletal muscles. ![]() But since about 10% of people with narcolepsy notice cataplexy as their first symptom, recognizing cataplexy could help you get a diagnosis of narcolepsy sooner. The sudden muscle weakness from cataplexy can be easily misdiagnosed as a seizure disorder. Sudden inability to move your facial muscles.Abrupt muscle weakness on both sides of the body following heightened emotions - think fear, excitement, stress, and anger.David Culpepper, a medical doctor and Clinical Director at LifeMD. "Symptoms are consistent across age, but they vary from person to person, from a slight slackening of the facial muscles to falling down," says Dr. It typically shows up before age 25, but you can experience it at any age.
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