Published on: 6/20/2025
What are the different types of narcolepsy and how are they classified?
There are two types of narcolepsy, which is a sleep disorder that causes excessive daytime sleepiness. Narcolepsy type 1 involves excessive daytime sleepiness as well as cataplexy (episodes of muscle weakness when you are awake). Narcolepsy type 2 does not involve cataplexy.
Explanation
Narcolepsy is a disorder that makes people very sleepy during the day. There are two types of narcolepsy, Type 1 and Type 2.
Narcolepsy Type 1: This type is characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy (which is a sudden loss of muscle control while awake, often triggered by strong emotions like laughter, joy, surprise, or anger). People with narcolepsy type 1 also have low levels of a brain chemical called hypocretin, which helps regulate wakefulness.
Narcolepsy Type 2: People with narcolepsy type 2 also experience excessive daytime sleepiness, but they do not have cataplexy.
Both types can cause people to fall asleep suddenly, even during the day. Scientists believe genetics play a role in narcolepsy, which means it can run in families. If you have concerns about narcolepsy, it is important to talk to a healthcare provider for proper and personalized diagnosis and management. Additional information about narcolepsy is available at https://sleepeducation.org/sleep-disorders/narcolepsy/.
(References)
- Bassetti CLA, Adamantidis A, Burdakov D, Han F, Gay S, Kallweit U, et al. (2019). Narcolepsy - clinical spectrum, aetiopathophysiology, .... Nature reviews. Neurology, 31324898.
- Miyagawa T, & Tokunaga K. (2019). Genetics of narcolepsy. Human genome variation, 30652006.
- Monaca C, Franco P, Philip P, & Dauvilliers Y. (2017). French consensus. Type 1 and type 2 Narcolepsy. Revue neurologique, 27838095.
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