Narcolepsy, pathophysiology

Hypocretin A wakefulness-promoting hypothalamic neuropeptide, a deficiency of which is involved in the pathophysiology of narcolepsy. 

Mieda, M. Yanagisawa, M. (2006). Rodent models of narcolepsy-cataplexy. In The Orexin/Hypocretin System Physiology and Pathophysiology, ed. S. Nishino T. Sakurai, Totowa, NJ Humana Press, pp. 255-66. 

Overeem S, Mignot E, Van Dijg KJG, Lammers GJ (2001) Narcolepsy Clinical Features, New Pathophysiologic Insights, and Future Perspectives. J ain Neurophysiol 18 78-105... 

Broughton R, Valley V, Aguirre M, Roberts J, Suwalski W, Dunham W (1986) Excessive daytime sleepiness and the pathophysiology of narcolepsy-cataplexy a laboratory perspective. Sleep 9 205-215... 

Impotence and delayed ejaculation in men and difficulty in achieving orgasm in two women have been reported with a variety of MAO inhibitors used to treat narcolepsy (28), phobic anxiety (29), and depression (30-32). Sexual symptoms are often dose-related and there is a delicate interplay between psychic and pathophysiological influences. In men with premature ejaculation this effect may even be considered therapeutic. 

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