Post-Traumatic Narcolepsy Associated with Thalamic/Hypothalamic Injury

Abstract

Narcolepsy is now suggested as an autoimmune disorder.1 Autoimmune-mediated loss of hypocretin-producing neurons in the hypothalamus and resultant decreased hypocretin levels in the cerebrospinal fluid might be important to the etiology of narcolepsy. Recently, secondary causes such as infection, trauma, tumors, and H1N1 flu vaccination have been identified as causes or triggers of narcolepsy and excessive daytime sleepiness.2-4 Since the first description of post-traumatic narcolepsy, approximately 20 such patients have been reported.5 However, studies showing the location of brain damage are rare.6 Here, we report a patient who developed polysomnography-confirmed post-traumatic narcolepsy after traumatic hypothalamic hemorrhagic injury.