98%
921
2 minutes
20
Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is a chronic orphan neurological sleep disorder characterized by the loss of hypocretin-producing neurons in the lateral hypothalamus, which play a crucial role in wakefulness. Given the genetic association with the HLA-DQB1 * 06:02 allele and environmental links with the 2009 influenza pandemic, many lines of evidence point towards an immune mechanism, notably autoimmunity, underlying the disease pathophysiology. Autoreactive T cells are found in the blood of NT1 patients, and mouse models demonstrate their migratory capacity and contribution in the selective destruction of hypocretin-producing neurons. However, direct evidence for their role in human NT1 pathophysiology remains elusive. In complementing these findings, hypothesis-generating approaches-including multiparametric immune profiling, transcriptomic sequencing and large-scale proteomic of blood and cerebrospinal fluid-have uncovered promising new avenues into the immune system's involvement in NT1. In this review, we explore the mechanisms driving NT1 pathogenesis, emphasizing both hypothesis-driven and hypothesis-generating approaches, and discuss potential future directions that could pave the way for targeted immunotherapies.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.smim.2025.101962 | DOI Listing |
Sleep
September 2025
Center for Sleep Medicine, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Lyon 1 University, Lyon, F-69000, France.
Current treatments for narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) have little impact on psychiatric, cognitive and metabolic comorbidities. Here, we evaluated the feasibility, safety and efficacy of a prospective Exercise Training (ET) program on sleep-related symptoms and comorbidities in NT1. Sedentary adult with NT1 participated in a 6-week supervised ET program followed by a 18-week self-directed program.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Neurosci
August 2025
Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, China.
Hypocretin, also known as orexin, is a hypothalamic neuropeptide that regulates essential physiological processes including arousal, energy metabolism, feeding behavior, and emotional states. Through widespread projections and two G-protein-coupled receptors-HCRT-1R and HCRT-2R-the hypocretin system exerts diverse modulatory effects across the central nervous system. The role of hypocretin in maintaining wakefulness is well established, particularly in narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), where loss of hypocretin neurons leads to excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNat Sci Sleep
September 2025
Department of Neurology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University and Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Jinan, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
Objective: This study aimed to identify distinct REM sleep characteristics that differentiate type 1 narcolepsy (NT1) from type 2 narcolepsy (NT2) using polysomnography (PSG), while acknowledging the need for future validation against other hypersomnia disorders.
Methods: A retrospective review included 31 patients with NT1, 21 patients with NT2, and 24 healthy participants. Each participant underwent overnight PSG and a subsequent multiple sleep latency test (MSLT) to assess REM sleep parameters including average REM density, neck myoclonus index, and leg movement index.
Nat Sci Sleep
August 2025
The University Sleep Disorders Center, Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Purpose: Data on the prevalence and correlates of rapid eye movement (REM)-related obstructive sleep apnea (REM-OSA) in narcolepsy remains limited. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and independent associated factors with OSA and REM-OSA in patients with narcolepsy, and to compare the distribution of REM-OSA between patients with narcolepsy and matched controls without narcolepsy.
Patients And Methods: This retrospective study of a prospectively collected cohort included 190 adult patients with narcolepsy (narcolepsy type 1 [NT1] = 119, narcolepsy type 2 [NT2] = 71) who underwent polysomnography and multiple sleep latency test at the University Sleep Disorders Center, King Saud University Medical City, between January 2007 and February 2022.
Sleep Breath
August 2025
Department of Psychiatry, Sleep Medicine Center, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, Guangdong, China.
Study Objectives: This study aimed to assess and quantify rapid eye movement (REM) sleep electromyographic (EMG) activity in narcolepsy patients.
Methods: The study involved 95 participants, including 25 with narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), 36 with narcolepsy type 2 (NT2), and 34 healthy controls (HC). We visually analyzed phasic, tonic, and "any" muscle activity for the submentalis (SM) and phasic for the anterior tibialis (AT) by both 3-s REM mini-epochs (3sRME) and 30-s REM epochs (30sRE) methods.