Armodafinil as Monotherapy in Treating Narcolepsy with Cataplexy

In narcolepsy with cataplexy, sodium oxybate and the recently FDA-approved drug pitolisant are preferred medications. Armodafinil, a longer-acting, non-amphetamine stimulant, is often used in patients who have narcolepsy without cataplexy. It enhances alertness by increasing presynaptic dopamine transmission presynaptically, amplifying serotonin in the cerebral cortex, activating glutamatergic circuits, which may contribute to its vigilance-enhancing properties, and stimulating orexin activity. Armodafinil alone is approved for excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) symptoms. We report this case of narcolepsy with cataplexy, where armodafinil alone improved the symptoms of not only EDS but also cataplexy. It is known that sodium oxybate, through its gamma-aminobutyric acid type B (GABA-B) receptor agonist activity, helps in cataplexy and EDS. However, in some instances, like this patient, armodafinil alone improves the symptoms of cataplexy and maintains wakefulness.