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A member asked:
Which part of the brain causes narcolepsy?
5 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Hypothalamus: The part of the brain known as the hypothalamus is responsible for narcolepsy. Lack of a neurotransmitter called hypocretin (orexin) in this part of the brain results in the illness.
Answered 12/10/2014
6.3k views
Hypothalamus: Narcolepsy is a chronic condition leading to excessive daytime sleepiness, among other symptoms. In most patients it is caused by the destruction (thought to be autoimmune) of cell in the hypothalamus which produce a chemical (hypocretin or orexin) needed to stay wake. The loss of these cells and the chemical results in the condition.
Answered 3/31/2012
5.9k views
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