Narcolepsy

Christian R. Baumann, MD University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland Claudio L. Bassetti, MD University Hospital of Zurich, Switzerland Thomas E. Scammell, MD Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA

• Etiology and genetics of human narcolepsy.- Narcolepsy: autoimmunity or secondary to infection?.- Is narcolepsy a neurodegenerative disorder?.- The roles of hypocretin/orexin in narcolepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and normal behaviour.- Histamine in narcolepsy and excessive daytime sleepiness.- Dopaminergic substrates underlying hypersomnia, sleepiness, and REM sleep expression.- The serotoninergic system in sleep and narcolepsy.- Sleep homeostasis, adenosine, caffeine, and narcolepsy.- Prostaglandin D2: an endogenous somnogen.- The neurobiology of sleep-wake systems: an overview.- The hypocretins/orexins: master regulators of arousal and hyperarousal.- Optogenetic probing of hypocretin/orexin regulation of wakefulness.- Hypocretin/orexin receptor functions in mesopontine systems regulating sleep, arousal and cataplexy.- Afferent control of the hypocretin/orexin neurons.- The neural basis of sleepiness in narcoleptic mice.- Mathematical models of narcolepsy.- The hypothalamus and its functions.- The prehistory of orexin/hypocretin and melanin-concentrating hormone neurons of the lateral hypothalamus.- Metabolic influence on the hypocretin/orexin neurons.- Endocrine abnormalities in narcolepsy.- Appetite and obesity.- Effects of orexin/hypocretin on ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons: an emerging role in addiction.- Orexin/hypocretin, drug addiction, and narcolepsy.- Emotional processing in narcolepsy.- Depression in narcolepsy.- The clinical features of cataplexy.- Parasomnias in narcolepsy with cataplexy.- The motor system and narcolepsy: Periodic leg movements and restless leg syndrome.- Spectrum of narcolepsy.- Secondary narcolepsy.- Posttraumatic narcolepsy.- The hypocretin/orexin system and sleepiness in Parkinson’s disease.- Idiopathic hypersomnia.- Current diagnostic criteria of adult narcolepsy.- The arguments for standardized diagnostic procedures.- Fitness to drive in narcolepsy.- Treatment of narcolepsy.- Treatment of narcolepsy in thechild

From the reviews: "This comprehensive review of narcolepsy, written by scientific experts in the field of sleep disorders research and medicine, serves as guide to understanding its etiology, pathophysiology, and clinic treatment. ... It is targeted primarily for sleep researchers and clinicians, as well as those who have a specific interest in narcolepsy. ... With its in-depth analysis of the important areas of the etiology, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and management of narcolepsy, this is a useful compendium for both scientists and clinicians." (Maureen A. Smith, Doody's Review Service, January, 2012)