EDS involves an urge to sleep that can feel irresistible, and it arises most frequently in monotonous situations. Unlike cataplexy, touching the person usually causes the paralysis to disappear. Catalepsy (from Ancient Greek katlpsis,, 'seizing, grasping') is a nervous condition characterized by muscular rigidity and fixity of posture regardless of external stimuli, as well as decreased sensitivity to pain. The most common symptoms include: Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS): EDS is the cardinal symptom of narcolepsy, affecting all people with the disorder. The experiences of cataplexy and dreaming during wakefulness may be wrongly seen as a psychiatric problem.

It is a life-long, disabling illness that affects more than 1 in. The four most common symptoms are excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hypnagogic hallucinations. It doesn’t affect everyone with this disorder, but when it does occur, it can be frightening and highly disruptive. Narcolepsy is characterized by permanent, overwhelming feelings of sleepiness and fatigue. 1 It usually begins a few months after the onset of narcolepsy and is sometimes the presenting symptom. However, doctors can prescribe medications that can be effective in controlling excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, and sleep disruption.Īttacks of cataplexy are sudden, brief losses of muscle control. Cataplexy has long been recognized as the pathognomonic symptom of narcolepsy. The anticipation of the sugary cereal triggers one of the most striking symptoms of the disease: a temporary loss of muscle control called cataplexy, causing mice to drop in their tracks. Cataplexy as a noun means A condition, usually triggered by a strong emotional reaction, in which an individual, usually a narcoleptic, suddenly c. Individuals with the sleep disorder narcolepsy suffer with excessive daytime sleepiness and attacks of muscle paralysis triggered by strong emotions (a condition known as cataplexy). Narcoleptics like Cloud also suffer from a bizarre condition called cataplexy, in which they can collapse in a heap on the ground, conscious but essentially paralyzed.Ĭarol Bell, 67, has a condition called cataplexy -it's a sleep disorder that causes temporary paralysis, and it's brought on by a particular emotion or feeling. The 67-year-old has a sleep disorder called cataplexy, which is a symptom of narcolepsy.

Cataplexy definition