Narcolepsy: the impact of aging, hypocretin deficiency, and years of formal education in olfactory function and abdominal obesity

• Published in: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria Vol. 79; no. 9; pp. 808 - 815
• Main Authors: Truzzi, Giselle de Martin, Naufel, Maria Fernanda, Tufik, Sergio, Coelho, Fernando Morgadinho
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Rua do Matoso 170, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, CEP 20270-135, Brazil Thieme Revinter Publicações Ltda 01.09.2021; Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria; Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO; Academia Brasileira de Neurologia (ABNEURO)
• Subjects: Abdomen; Aging; Body weight; Body weight gain; Central Obesity; Daytime; Disorders of Excessive Somnolence; Education; Hyposmia; Narcolepsy; NEUROSCIENCES; Obesity; Olfaction; Orexin; Orexins; PSYCHIATRY; Quality of life; Sleep; Sleep and wakefulness; Sleep disorders; Hiposmia; Hyposmia; Education; Educação; Central Obesity; Distúrbios do Sono por Sonolência Excessiva; Orexina; Disorders of Excessive Somnolence; Orexin; Obesidade Central
• ISSN: 0004-282X; 1678-4227; 1678-4227
• DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X-anp-2020-0352

ABSTRACT Background: Narcolepsy is a disease resulting from the loss of hypocretin-producing cells or other dysfunctions of the hypocretinergic system. In addition to sleep disorders, affected patients may experience increased weight gain, olfactory changes, and poorer quality of life. Methods: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between narcolepsy and weight gain, years of study, sleep parameters, and olfactory dysfunction in patients with narcolepsy type 1 and narcolepsy type 2. Anthropometric, olfactory, socioeducational, and excessive daytime sleepiness evaluations were performed in 77 patients. Results: Greater weight gain and abdominal obesity were observed in patients with type 1 narcolepsy. Patients with higher education level had lower scores of daytime sleepiness, higher scores on the olfactory function test, and lower rates of abdominal obesity. Discussion: Patients with narcolepsy type 1 showed an increased body weight and abdominal obesity when compared to narcolepsy type 2. The patients with a higher schooling level showed a reduction of the daytime sleepiness scores, lower rates of abdominal obesity, and better scores on the olfactory function test. Conclusion: Among all the patients with narcolepsy, the data indicated that aging and hypocretin deficiency are associated with abdominal obesity, while years of study is the variable that mostly influences olfaction function.