A Case Report of Narcolepsy with Partial Cataplexy Misdiagnosed as Epilepsy

Abstract

Cataplexy is present in 70% of narcolepsy patients; narcolepsy with cataplexy is now named as narcolepsy type 1 in recent classification of sleep disorders. Cataplexy is defined as short lasting decrease or loss of muscle tone. Here we present a 9-year-old girl misdiagnosed as epilepsy due to distortion in her face but diagnosed to have narcolepsy type 1 and partial cataplexy. In detail questioning, loss of muscle tone in her facial muscles and facial distortion occurred for a short time upon tiredness and in association with daytime sleepiness without any unconsciousness. No response was observed with antiepileptic agents, but they totally resolved upon administration of anticataplectic therapy.

Keywords

• Narcolepsy type 1
• cataplexy
• cataplectic face