Narcolepsy
Influenza A (including H1N1 infection) May Trigger Narcolepsy
What causes narcolepsy? I wasn’t born with narcolepsy but developed it in my late teens to early 20’s. Evidence continues to suggest that influenza A (including H1N1) and other winter airway infections play a significant role in narcolepsy onset. However, the role of H1N1 vaccination is a different story, suggests a recent study led by…
Read MoreRoanoke Valley Awakens to Narcolepsy
Mother Diantha with daughters Haven and Seanna On the last day of school, when a 4th grader passed a hat around the classroom, no one blinked. Instead, each 4th grader reached into their pockets and gave what they had – mostly coins. Together, they proudly collected about $15, believing that small change could lead…
Read MoreFollow Your Dreams: REM Sleep, Intuition and Oprah Magazine
I’ve learned to trust my “gut feeling” in sticky situations. Yet how is it that my body’s natural response is smarter than my well-educated rational mind?! This month, O: The Oprah Magazine answers this question in a fascinating article, “The Science of Intuition: An eye-opening guide to your sixth sense,” by Annie Murphy Paul (August…
Read MoreInsomnia Drug Develops from Narcolepsy Research
What do people with insomnia and people with narcolepsy have in common? Trick question! I don’t know, but we may be coming closer to an answer. In the late 90’s, narcolepsy researchers made a significant breakthrough in successfully identifying the brain cells, called hypocretin (or orexin), that go missing in those that develop narcolepsy. These…
Read MoreContestant May Have Narcolepsy on So You Think You Can Dance
Copyright FOX So You Think You Can Dance is my favorite television show. I was surprised to learn that one of this season’s contestants may have narcolepsy. On last night’s episode (Wednesday June, 15th 2011), each contestant had 8 seconds to list interesting traits about themselves. During Melanie Moore’s 8 second interview, she said: “I’m…
Read MoreREMRunner Returns to the National Institutes of Health
Last Friday, April 29th, was a beautiful sunny day in Washington DC. I was up by 6am to make the journey to Bethesda, Maryland, through NIH security, and across the Campus to Building 31 by 8:30am. Entering the conference room a few minutes early, I couldn’t help but smile a big gawking smile when I…
Read MoreThe People Behind the Magic
Photography by Julie Flygare While in San Francisco last week, I had a long list of things to do – visiting friends, family, museums, and typical tourist attractions. One destination on my “to-do” list was slightly off the beaten path, but somewhere I’d dreamed of going for three years. And so began my pilgrimage… …
Read MoreBreaking News: U.S. Supreme Court takes on Case involving Person with Narcolepsy
The U.S. Supreme Court will take on a case to decide whether a Lutheran Elementary School can be sued for possibly violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in firing a teacher with narcolepsy or whether the school is exempt under the establishment clause of the First Amendment. First – a brief summary of some…
Read MoreMy Friend Has Narcolepsy – Guest Blog Post by Gail Pean
(Readers: For the first time, I’ve invited a Guest Blogger for REM Runner! The author of this post, Gail Pean, is a great writer, accomplished artist and close friend. Since meeting in a writing class a year ago, Gail has been a pillar of support and understanding – her shoulder has served as a pillow for…
Read MorePondering the Elusiveness of Sleepiness at NSF’s Sleep Health & Safety Conference
Last week, I attended the National Sleep Foundation‘s Sleep Health & Safety Conference here in Washington, DC. The conference featured a Public Health & Safety Track and a Health Care Professional Track. Reviewing the lists of speakers – both sessions sounded fascinating, so I spent one day on each track. Both mornings, keynote speakers gave…
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