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Book

Cataplexy

In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
.
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Book

Cataplexy

Vincent S. Mirabile et al.
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Excerpt

Cataplexy, a physical feature of narcolepsy, is characterized by transient episodes of voluntary muscle weakness precipitated by intense emotion. Subjective descriptions of cataplexy can assist in the identification of narcolepsy, as this feature is all but unique to the disorder. Unfortunately, cataplexy is challenging to identify, often going undetected. While 19% of patients diagnosed with narcolepsy also get diagnosed with cataplexy, estimates are that roughly 70% of patients with narcolepsy also have cataplexy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Vincent Mirabile declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Sandeep Sharma declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

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