[Use of sodium hydroxybutyrate in the treatment of narcolepsy]

The action of sodium hydroxybutyrate, a GABA derivative, was examined in 11 patients with narcolepsy. A two-week course of therapy was evaluated using clinical and electrophysiological research methods including polygraphic examination of night sleep. The use of the drug was associated with improvement in the patients' nocturnal sleep attended by an increase in the IV stage of the slow sleep phase, synchronizing shifts on the EEG in the period of diurnal wakefulness and a decrease in the initial emotional tension. To correct night sleep disturbances, it is advisable to include sodium hydroxybutyrate into a multimodality treatment of narcolepsy.