Oct. 25, 2002 — Low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of hypocretin are diagnostic for narcolepsy, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Neurology. Because hypocretin neurons are ...

Hypocretin (neuropeptide) increase may be a factor in opiate craving and raising the number of hypocretin cells to near normal levels could reverse narcoleptic symptoms. Chemical messenger hypocretin ...

An unusual increase in narcolepsy cases in Europe was linked to a new flu vaccine used there, and now researchers may have figured out why: A protein in the vaccine appears to mimic one in the brain ...

A new study has found that users of heroin have high levels of a brain chemical called hypocretin. This hypocretin leads to “wakefulness” among the users and understanding this could help patients ...

Scientists have found that the sleep disorder narcolepsy can sometimes be triggered by a scientific phenomenon known as "molecular mimicry", offering a possible explanation for its link to a ...

More than a decade ago, UCLA researchers demonstrated that a lack of hypocretin-containing neurons in the brain contributes to narcolepsy, a disorder characterized by uncontrollable periods of deep ...

For the estimated 200,000 Americans with narcolepsy, sleep is an unpredictable part of life. While the condition affects people differently, it can involve uneven slumber, sleep paralysis, and ...

We’re witnessing some significant breakthroughs in our understanding of the sleep disorder narcolepsy. Two new studies, conducted independently, provide strong evidence for what’s long been suspected: ...

Check out this short video of "Rusty the Narcoleptic Dog." I was first introduced to Rusty in a video presented to my high school psychology class. As expected in a classroom full of teenagers, we ...

We all crave sleep. But there are times when sleepiness is a liability, and I’m not talking about Receive emails about upcoming NOVA programs and related content, as well as featured reporting about ...

Move over dopamine, there’s a new “pleasure” molecule that could broaden our understanding of the chemistry of joy, laughter, addiction and even anger. As prolific as the recent research on dopamine ...

Lois E. Krahn, MD, professor of psychiatry, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine; sleep specialist, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ. I've been doing narcolepsy work for 25 years, and there has never been a ...