Does central sleep apnea happens together with narcolepsy?

by Ping

One week ago I went to sleep study from the reason that I have sleep paralysis like symptom which I can't move or even breath, however I can here people all around me talking and seeing them.

Suddenly I end up with the feeling like I was going to be fainted, then I have a spasm on my face and gasping the air(choking).

After that I went to a doctor for 2 time s. Then my doctor assumes that I have central sleep apnea, however some symptom that I have is very similar to narcolepsy .

So my doctor send my for Multiple sleep latency test. And the result during the 2 hors waken time I'm fully awaked and take longer than five minute to fall as sleep, however I undergo REM state of sleep quickly all 2 time that I can sleep out of 5.

By the way I am 18 years old male with the weight of 64 KG and height of 168cm . My doctor never sees people who have narcolepsy with central sleep apnea.

My concern is, can narcolepsy cause sleep apnea and Is it possible that central sleep apnea could cause by brain tumor ( because my doctors seem to concern on that point).
(sorry for my English)

Answer

Ping, it would be easier to answer your question if I knew what exactly is the verdict from your multiple sleep latency test (MSLT)? Do you have narcolepsy, central sleep apnea, sleep paralysis?

The symptoms that you describe at the beginning of your story looks like cataplexy, so probably you have narcolepsy.

I never heard that central sleep apnea can cause narcolepsy. As far as I learned, narcolepsy with cataplexy is most commonly caused by a loss of hypocreating-producing cell in the hypothalamus. This is loss may be caused by an autoimmune destruction of these cells.

Also, the scientists found significant gray matter loss in the cortex of patients with narcolepsy.

The tumor can be a cause for narcolepsy, as the book Narcolepsy - A Clinical Guide mention it. Many authors noted that tumors or other lesions located close hypothalamus are associated with secondary narcolepsy.

These reports of hypothalamus lesions in association with narcolepsy (such as tumors) have been described for over eighty years.

Bottom line... It is possible that a tumor from the brain to induce blood brain barrier damage or an inflammatory response in the region that could have favored the development of hypocreating cell loss through an autoimmune attack.

And, as you already know, the hypocreating cell loss is a cause for narcolepsy-cataplexy.

I hope it helps. Good luck!

Remy Thierry
Founder of Sleep Apnea Guide

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