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What is narcolepsy?

Most people think of a narcoleptic as a person who merely falls asleep at inappropriate times. However, there are several other symptoms associated with narcolepsy. These include excessive daytime sleepiness, hallucinations, and cataplexy (a sudden loss of muscle strength following an emotional event). Persons with narcolepsy experience an uncontrollable desire to sleep, sometimes many times in one day. Episodes may last from a few minutes to several hours.

Sources: Golob, Richard. Almanac of Science and Technology: What's New and What's Known, p. 136; Mosby's Medical, Nursing, and Allied Health Dictionary, 3rd ed., p. 792.

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