Successful treatment of post-traumatic narcolepsy with methylphenidate: a case report. 1996

G E Francisco, and C B Ivanhoe
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Baylor college of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA.

Narcolepsy is a rare sequela of brain injury. We report the case of a 27-yr-old male with post-traumatic narcolepsy who was successfully treated with methylphenidate. This patient sustained moderate brain injury from a motorcycle accident. Subsequently, he manifested the classic tetrad of narcolepsy: cataplexy, excessive daytime sleepiness, sleep paralysis, and hypnogogic hallucinations. There was no premorbid seizure or sleep disorder. There was no family history of sleep disorders. Polysomnography and Multiple Sleep Latency Test confirmed the diagnosis of narcolepsy. Sleep latency (time to sleep onset), rapid eye movement sleep latency (time from sleep onset to rapid eye movement sleep onset), and mean multiple sleep latency were all pathologically shortened (2.5, 66, and 1.2 min, respectively). Twenty-four hour electroencephalographic monitoring and magnetic resonance imaging of the brain were normal, as were serum chemistries. Treatment with caffeine was unsuccessful. He was then started on methylphenidate, 10 mg twice daily, which was increased to 30 mg twice daily over a 4-mo period. Cataplexy and excessive daytime sleepiness started to improve 1 mo after adjustments in methylphenidate dosing. Six months after the initiation of methylphenidate therapy, the patient is completely asymptomatic.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008279 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Non-invasive method of demonstrating internal anatomy based on the principle that atomic nuclei in a strong magnetic field absorb pulses of radiofrequency energy and emit them as radiowaves which can be reconstructed into computerized images. The concept includes proton spin tomographic techniques. Chemical Shift Imaging,MR Tomography,MRI Scans,MRI, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Image,Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Functional,Magnetization Transfer Contrast Imaging,NMR Imaging,NMR Tomography,Tomography, NMR,Tomography, Proton Spin,fMRI,Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging,Imaging, Chemical Shift,Proton Spin Tomography,Spin Echo Imaging,Steady-State Free Precession MRI,Tomography, MR,Zeugmatography,Chemical Shift Imagings,Echo Imaging, Spin,Echo Imagings, Spin,Functional MRI,Functional MRIs,Image, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, Magnetic Resonance,Imaging, NMR,Imaging, Spin Echo,Imagings, Chemical Shift,Imagings, Spin Echo,MRI Scan,MRIs, Functional,Magnetic Resonance Images,Resonance Image, Magnetic,Scan, MRI,Scans, MRI,Shift Imaging, Chemical,Shift Imagings, Chemical,Spin Echo Imagings,Steady State Free Precession MRI
D008297 Male Males
D008774 Methylphenidate A central nervous system stimulant used most commonly in the treatment of ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER in children and for NARCOLEPSY. Its mechanisms appear to be similar to those of DEXTROAMPHETAMINE. The d-isomer of this drug is referred to as DEXMETHYLPHENIDATE HYDROCHLORIDE. Centedrin,Concerta,Daytrana,Equasym,Metadate,Methylin,Methylphenidate Hydrochloride,Phenidylate,Ritalin,Ritalin-SR,Ritaline,Tsentedrin,Hydrochloride, Methylphenidate,Ritalin SR
D009290 Narcolepsy A condition characterized by recurrent episodes of daytime somnolence and lapses in consciousness (microsomnias) that may be associated with automatic behaviors and AMNESIA. CATAPLEXY; SLEEP PARALYSIS, and hypnagogic HALLUCINATIONS frequently accompany narcolepsy. The pathophysiology of this disorder includes sleep-onset rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which normally follows stage III or IV sleep. (From Neurology 1998 Feb;50(2 Suppl 1):S2-S7) Gelineau Syndrome,Narcolepsy-Cataplexy Syndrome,Paroxysmal Sleep,Gelineau's Syndrome,Narcoleptic Syndrome,Gelineau's Syndromes,Gelineaus Syndrome,Narcolepsy Cataplexy Syndrome,Narcolepsy-Cataplexy Syndromes,Narcoleptic Syndromes,Sleep, Paroxysmal,Syndrome, Gelineau,Syndrome, Gelineau's,Syndrome, Narcolepsy-Cataplexy,Syndrome, Narcoleptic,Syndromes, Gelineau's,Syndromes, Narcolepsy-Cataplexy,Syndromes, Narcoleptic
D009483 Neuropsychological Tests Tests designed to assess neurological function associated with certain behaviors. They are used in diagnosing brain dysfunction or damage and central nervous system disorders or injury. Aphasia Tests,Cognitive Test,Cognitive Testing,Cognitive Tests,Memory for Designs Test,Neuropsychological Testing,AX-CPT,Behavioral Assessment of Dysexecutive Syndrome,CANTAB,Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery,Clock Test,Cognitive Function Scanner,Continuous Performance Task,Controlled Oral Word Association Test,Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System,Developmental Neuropsychological Assessment,Hooper Visual Organization Test,NEPSY,Neuropsychologic Tests,Neuropsychological Test,Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test,Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status,Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure,Symbol Digit Modalities Test,Test of Everyday Attention,Test, Neuropsychological,Tests, Neuropsychological,Tower of London Test,Neuropsychologic Test,Test, Cognitive,Testing, Cognitive,Testing, Neuropsychological,Tests, Cognitive
D001921 Brain The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM. Encephalon
D001930 Brain Injuries Acute and chronic (see also BRAIN INJURIES, CHRONIC) injuries to the brain, including the cerebral hemispheres, CEREBELLUM, and BRAIN STEM. Clinical manifestations depend on the nature of injury. Diffuse trauma to the brain is frequently associated with DIFFUSE AXONAL INJURY or COMA, POST-TRAUMATIC. Localized injuries may be associated with NEUROBEHAVIORAL MANIFESTATIONS; HEMIPARESIS, or other focal neurologic deficits. Brain Lacerations,Acute Brain Injuries,Brain Injuries, Acute,Brain Injuries, Focal,Focal Brain Injuries,Injuries, Acute Brain,Injuries, Brain,Acute Brain Injury,Brain Injury,Brain Injury, Acute,Brain Injury, Focal,Brain Laceration,Focal Brain Injury,Injuries, Focal Brain,Injury, Acute Brain,Injury, Brain,Injury, Focal Brain,Laceration, Brain,Lacerations, Brain
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D000697 Central Nervous System Stimulants A loosely defined group of drugs that tend to increase behavioral alertness, agitation, or excitation. They work by a variety of mechanisms, but usually not by direct excitation of neurons. The many drugs that have such actions as side effects to their main therapeutic use are not included here. Analeptic,Analeptic Agent,Analeptic Drug,Analeptics,CNS Stimulant,CNS Stimulants,Central Nervous System Stimulant,Central Stimulant,Analeptic Agents,Analeptic Drugs,Central Stimulants,Agent, Analeptic,Agents, Analeptic,Drug, Analeptic,Drugs, Analeptic,Stimulant, CNS,Stimulant, Central,Stimulants, CNS,Stimulants, Central

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