With an autoimmune condition, the body attacks healthy cells, in this case the cells that produce hypocretin.
Though there are continuing studies into the cause of cataplexy, the majority of people who have the condition have fewer hypothalamic neurons in their brains, likely caused by an autoimmune condition. The term was first used in late 19th-century German physiology to describe tonic immobility, which is also known as ‘playing possum’ due to the witnessed playing-dead behaviour of possums. Typically, an episode will resolve on its own after a few minutes. Unlike seizures or fainting episodes, which also cause tonic immobility, a person who experiences cataplexy will remain aware and conscious throughout the episode. Often, eyesight will become impaired (poor focus or double vision) and speech might be slurred. More often, an episode of cataplexy will be triggered by positive emotions, but negative emotions can occasionally be a trigger too.ĭuring a cataplexy episode, the person might collapse totally on the floor or they might feel slightly weak in part of their body. It is triggered by a strong emotion like surprise, anger, laughter, crying, or fear.
#Cataplexy attack meaning full#
Cataplexy, from the Greek ‘kata’ and ‘plexis’, meaning ‘down’ and ‘strike’ respectively, is a sudden episode of weakness combined with full awareness and consciousness.
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