Narcolepsy is a sleeping disorder that affects a person’s sleep wake cycle. It is characterized by excessive daytime drowsiness, sudden attacks of sleep, sudden loss of muscle tone or cataplexy, hallucinations, and the inability to move or talk or sleep paralysis. People suffering from narcolepsy regularly find it difficult to stay awake for long periods of time and have difficulty staying asleep. This disorder can be treated many different ways including through the use of pharmaceutical drugs, such as Modafinil and Gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB). Several studies have been done on both drugs to determine the effectiveness of each drug on the symptoms of narcolepsy. The study done on Modafinil used fifty narcoleptics as the test subjects to assess
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“Major advances in the last decade have led to improved symptomatic therapies for narcolepsy. Although there is no cure for narcolepsy, medications and lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms” (De la Herrán-Arita, A.,K., & García-García, F, 2013). The outcome for the Modafinil study did not show any modification of nighttime sleep, feelings upon awakening, or cataplexy, but it did show a reduction in daytime sleepiness. It was shown that GHB, compared to the placebo, reduced the number of hallucinations, sudden attacks of sleep, cataplexy, and daytime sleepiness. “The number of daily cataplexy attacks was reduced from 1.26 at baseline to 0.56 after 4 weeks of GHB intake. This reduction, however, was not statistically significantly different from the difference between baseline and placebo” (Arends, J., et. al., 1993). Each study came to a conclusion with some interesting facts. Modafinil was found not to be effect in all patients. “Approximately one third of all narcoleptics have a good and sustained response…, one third a satisfactory response and another third little benefit” (Besset, A., et. al., 1994). GHB on the other hand was found to significantly reduce all narcoleptic symptoms, while the placebo only reduced the number of cataplectic attacks. The placebo’s effect on cataplexy was only short
“Major advances in the last decade have led to improved symptomatic therapies for narcolepsy. Although there is no cure for narcolepsy, medications and lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms” (De la Herrán-Arita, A.,K., & García-García, F, 2013). The outcome for the Modafinil study did not show any modification of nighttime sleep, feelings upon awakening, or cataplexy, but it did show a reduction in daytime sleepiness. It was shown that GHB, compared to the placebo, reduced the number of hallucinations, sudden attacks of sleep, cataplexy, and daytime sleepiness. “The number of daily cataplexy attacks was reduced from 1.26 at baseline to 0.56 after 4 weeks of GHB intake. This reduction, however, was not statistically significantly different from the difference between baseline and placebo” (Arends, J., et. al., 1993). Each study came to a conclusion with some interesting facts. Modafinil was found not to be effect in all patients. “Approximately one third of all narcoleptics have a good and sustained response…, one third a satisfactory response and another third little benefit” (Besset, A., et. al., 1994). GHB on the other hand was found to significantly reduce all narcoleptic symptoms, while the placebo only reduced the number of cataplectic attacks. The placebo’s effect on cataplexy was only short