Narcolepsy is a chronic condition which, in essence, is a sleep disorder that triggers excessive daytime sleepiness alongside vivid hallucinations, muscular cataplexy, and sleep paralysis. Albeit informative, this condition was first described by Frensh neurologist Jean-Baptiste-douard Glineau, in his studies during the year 1880. This makes Glineau a crucial figure to the disorders advances and treatments to come.

Glineaus Discovery and Early Research

Prior to Glineau's work, symptoms of narcolepsy had to be interpreted as other neurological disorders such as epilepsy. His patients exhibiting excessive sleepiness and sudden fuelled muscle weakness served the basic foundation for this discovery. It's here where he had to coin a new term, Narcolepsy. This was structured from Greek words:

"narke" (stupor, or numbness)

"lepsis" (seizure, or attack)

In his paper titled De la Narcolepsie published in 1880, he provided the future generation with the first clinical description guiding the direction towards cataplexys diagnosis, cataplectic sleep syndrome, to help eliminated other neuro diseases.

Modern Understanding of Narcolepsy

Most of Genleau's initial findings have proven the backbone of the disorders research later on. This reneissance has lead society to learn about important details related to the causes of narcolepsy;

Type 1 Narcolepsy (with cataplexy) is linked to low levels of hypocretin (orexin), a brain chemical regulating wakefulness.

A little less documentation provides reasoning but Type 2 Narcolepsy is said to be the one without cataplexy, and lacks defined causes but still has reasonable overlapping symptoms.

Medications Used in Narcolepsy Treatment

There is no complete cure for the condition, but several medications assist to manage the symptoms:

Stimulants (For Excessive Daytime Sleepiness)

Modalert 200mg(Provigil) Fosters sleep avoidance and has less side effects than traditional stimulants.

Armodafinil (Nuvigil) - Longer lasting modification of Modalert Australia.

Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) A central nervous system stimulant.

Amphetamines (Adderall, Dexedrine) Reserved for severe cases as they are more prone to abuse.

Sodium Oxybate (For Cataplexy Nighttime Sleep Disturbances)

Xyrem (Sodium Oxybate) A central nervous system depressant taken at night that enhances sleep and decreases cataplexy during the day.

Xywav (Lower-Sodium Oxybate) A recently-developed product with less sodium.

Antidepressants (For Cataplexy, Hallucinations, Sleep Paralysis)

Venlafaxine (Effexor XR) An SNRI that successfully treats cataplexy.

Fluoxetine (Prozac) An SSRI that assists with sleep-wake cycle homeostasis.

Clomipramine (Anafranil) A tricyclic antidepressant that is used off-label for narcolepsy.

Histamine-Based Treatments (Emerging Options)

Pitolisant (Wakix) A medication that acts upon the H3 histamine receptor. It helps wakefulness, but does not work like a stimulant.

Conclusion

The groundwork pertaining to narcolepsy was established as a result of Jean-Baptiste-douard Glineau's efforts. Currently, people diagnosed with such a disorder with the help of advanced medications and ongoing research are living with improved quality of life. Although narcolepsy still stands as a lifelong condition, contemporary medicine provides valuable mitigation, enabling patients to lead even more active and joyous lives.