Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 11, 2025
05:52
Handwriting Analysis Indicates Spontaneous Dyskinesias in Neuroleptic Naïve Adolescents at High Risk for Psychosis
Published on: November 21, 2013
15.2K
Narcolepsy and psychosis: A systematic review
Cyril Hanin1,2, Isabelle Arnulf3, Jean-Baptiste Maranci3
1Centre de Référence des Maladies Rares à Expression Psychiatrique, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Pitié-Salpêtrière University Hospital, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
|March 29, 2021
Summary
Narcolepsy can involve psychotic-like symptoms, posing diagnostic challenges. Reviewing 100 papers, this study explores narcolepsy and psychosis associations and management, particularly in atypical and comorbid cases.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Psychiatry
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Narcolepsy is a rare sleep disorder.
- Psychotic-like symptoms can complicate narcolepsy diagnosis and treatment.
- Understanding the link between narcolepsy and psychosis is crucial for patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the association between narcolepsy and psychosis in children and adults.
- To examine the medical management of patients with narcolepsy and psychotic features.
- To differentiate between typical narcolepsy with psychotic-like symptoms, atypical forms, and comorbid schizophrenia.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature review of 100 PubMed-identified papers.
- Keywords included narcolepsy, psychosis, schizophrenia, delusion, side effects, safety, and bipolar disorder.
- Analysis of 58 published cases from atypical and comorbid groups.
Main Results:
- Three groups identified: typical narcolepsy with psychotic-like symptoms, atypical narcolepsy with severe hallucinations/delusions, and comorbid schizophrenia.
- Atypical and dual-diagnosis patients exhibited more severe hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized symptoms.
- Psychostimulants used for narcolepsy can exacerbate psychotic symptoms.
Conclusions:
- A potential association between narcolepsy and schizophrenia may exist in very early-onset cases, possibly due to shared neurodevelopmental factors.
- A clinical algorithm is proposed for managing narcolepsy with psychotic-like or psychotic features.
- Further research is needed to clarify the neurobiological underpinnings of these overlapping conditions.
Related Concept Videos
01:07Narcolepsy
286
Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by pervasive, uncontrolled sleepiness and other sleep disturbances. One of its hallmark symptoms is an abrupt transition to REM sleep upon falling asleep, which causes symptoms typically associated with this phase to occur unexpectedly during wakefulness. These include the following symptoms, which typically last from a minute or two to half an hour.
286
01:24Sleep-Wake Cycles
2.2K
Sleep is an essential physiological process vital to maintaining overall well-being. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons in the brainstem, regulates wakefulness and sleep. While it may seem passive, sleep consists of distinct cycles, each with its unique characteristics and functions. Two key sleep phases are non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM).
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
2.2K
01:27Psychosis: Pathophysiology of Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
1.3K
Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder whose origins are rooted in complex genetic components. Despite our burgeoning understanding, the pathophysiology of this disorder remains incompletely deciphered.
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within...
Researchers have identified genetic factors that increase susceptibility to schizophrenia, underscoring the intricate interplay between genetics and environment in disease development. At the core of schizophrenia's pathophysiology is excessive dopaminergic neurotransmission within...
1.3K
01:28Psychosis and Antipsychotic Drugs: Overview
591
The term "psychosis" refers to a spectrum of mental disorders characterized by abnormal thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors. It can manifest as mood disorders, dementia, delirium with psychotic features, substance-induced psychosis with psychotic features, brief psychotic disorder, delusional disorder, schizoaffective disorder, and schizophrenia. Among all these disorders, schizophrenia is the most common psychotic disorder, affecting 1% of the worldwide population. Psychotic...
591
01:26Psychosis: Goals of Pharmacotherapy
311
Antipsychotic drugs are a crucial treatment method for acute and chronic psychoses, bipolar illness, and behavioral disorders. The selection of these drugs depends on several factors, including the state of the disease, clinical judgment, possible drug interactions, and the patient's sensitivity to adverse effects. In immediate scenarios, such as delirium and dementia, short-term treatment with low doses of high-potency typical or atypical agents can effectively manage symptom exacerbation.
311
01:29Biological Causes of Schizophrenia
231
Schizophrenia, a severe psychiatric disorder, arises from a complex interplay of biological factors, including genetic predisposition, structural brain abnormalities, neurotransmitter dysregulation, and developmental irregularities. These factors collectively contribute to the onset and progression of the disorder, which typically manifests in late adolescence or early adulthood.
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin...
Genetic Factors in Schizophrenia
The genetic basis of schizophrenia is strongly supported by family and twin...
231