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Narcolepsy and low CSF orexin (hypocretin) concentration after a diencephalic stroke NEUROLOGY Scammell, T. E., Nishino, S., Mignot, E., SAPER, C. B. 2001; 56 (12): 1751-1753

Abstract

Idiopathic narcolepsy usually results from a loss of the hypothalamic neuropeptide orexin (hypocretin), but the cause of secondary narcolepsy resulting from focal brain lesions is unknown. The authors describe a young man who developed narcolepsy after a large hypothalamic stroke. His lesion included much of the hypothalamic region in which orexin is produced, and his CSF concentration of orexin was low. The authors hypothesize that a loss of orexin neurons or their relevant targets may be the specific neuropathology causing this and many other cases of secondary narcolepsy.

View details for Web of Science ID 000169424200026

View details for PubMedID 11425947