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La narcolepsia con cataplejía es un trastorno neuropsiquiátrico grave, crónico, que comienza habitualmente a una edad temprana y que puede perturbar gravemente el desarrollo social, educacional y laboral. Debido a sus características sintomáticas (p. ej. , un exceso de somnolencia diurna), la narcolepsia permite comprender mejor los mecanismos que regulan el sueño humano. Se ha demostrado que la somnolencia diurna, su síntoma más universal, contribuye de forma decisiva al posterior deterioro de la calidad de vida (1). Un signo típico y fascinante de la narcolepsia es la cataplejía, un debilitamiento transitorio del tono muscular que es desencadenado por aspectos emocionales. Otros síntomas clásicos, aunque inespecíficos, son la parálisis del sueño y las alucinaciones hipnagógicas. La alteración del sueño nocturno es el último síntoma que ha enriquecido el complejo sintomático clásico. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article focuses on narcolepsy with cataplexy which is a serious chronic neuropsychiatric disorder that typically begins at an early age. It has the potential to greatly disrupt social, educational, and vocational development. Because of the nature of its symptoms for example, excessive daytime sleepiness, narcolepsy provides insights into the mechanisms regulating human sleep. Its universal symptom of daytime sleepiness probably contributes most substantially to the resulting impaired quality of life that has been documented. A specific and intriguing sign of narcolepsy is cataplexy a transient muscle weakness triggered by emotions. Other classic but nonspecific symptoms include sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations. Disturbed nocturnal sleep is the most recent addition to the classic symptom complex.

Presents a response by L.E. Krahn and H.L. Gonzalez-Arriaza to a letter to the editor commenting on their article "Narcolepsy With Cataplexy," which was previously published in the 2004 issue of the "American Journal of Psychiatry."

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the safety of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) in patients receiving long-term warfarin therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective data were reviewed for 35 consecutively hospitalized patients who received long-term warfarin therapy and ECT at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn, between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 2001. RESULTS: A total of 300 ECT treatments were administered to the 35 patients. Of 284 ECT treatments for which data were available, no ECT-related complications due to anticoagulation occurred despite increases in blood pressure and pulse rate. One patient experienced ventricular tachycardia, resulting in transfer to a cardiology service for temporary monitoring, No other serious ECT- related adverse effects were noted. The rate of lntertreatment delirium was similar to that reported in other studies. CONCLUSIONS: Electroconvulsive therapy in patients receiving long-term warfarin therapy appears to be safe Although no major adverse effects were Identified in our case series, additional prospective evaluation is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]