This sounds like Kleine-Levin Syndrome. According to information on the "Kleine-Levin Syndrome Foundation" web site (http://www.KLSFoundation.org/), the disorder is defined in the following way:
"Kleine-Levin Syndrome is a rare disorder characterized by the need for excessive amounts of sleep. The patient becomes progressively more drowsy and sleeps for most of the day and night, (hypersomnolence), and in some cases requires excessive food intake (compulsive hyperphagia). The disorder primarily strikes adolescents. When awake, affected individuals may exhibit irritability, lack of energy (lethargy), lack of emotions (apathy) and they may appear confused (disoriented). Many patients report a hypersensitivity to noise. Some patients show an abnormally uninhibited sexual drive. Symptoms of Kleine-Levin Syndrome are cyclical. An affected individual may go for weeks or months without experiencing any symptoms, with perfect health and no evidence of behavioral or physical dysfunction. When present, KLS symptoms may persist for days to weeks or even months. The exact cause of Kleine-Levin Syndrome is not yet known. It is thought that symptoms of Kleine-Levin Syndrome may be related to malfunction of the portions of the brain (hypothalamus) that help to regulate functions such as sleep, appetite, and body temperature. It appears to be self limiting with cessation of episodes by early adult life."
I don't know anything about the disorder other than this. But there are links to articles and other information at this web site.
Jeff
[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
Hello Colleagues:I am cutting and pasting the following student question about a sleep
disorder because I am clueless:There is a disorder that somepoeple have (i've seen it on television a few
months ago. As i remember it mainly affects people 18-25, and it is something
where people have been knoen to be asleep for several months. They get
restroom use and food by help usually it was the parents who take care of
them, so in a severly drowsy state they get food given to them like babies,
and wabbly they walk to the restroom. They showed a girl who had been in this
state of sleep for 6 months or so, and even her brother got the same disorder
a few years after her. It's something that comes ang goes, they can be fine
and the next minute just literaly fall and be asleep. The girls parents had
to withdraw her from college, and she lost her friends because they all moved
on. They even showed some home video footage that the parents recorded and it
looked the person is in a transe, they are asleep but can answer sometimes,
it was a really weird thing to see.And i was wondering does this have anything to do with the "reticular
activating system" in our brains, in class you have menssioned that if a
person has that damaged they might not wake up. However the disorder that
those poeple have, comes and goes. It be got 2 months of sleeping constantly,
and then be absolutely fine for 2-3 years, then there can be a relapse
Thanks for your help folks.
Nancy Melucci
LACCD
--
Jeffry P. Ricker, Ph.D.
Office Phone: (480) 423-6213
9000 E. Chaparral Rd.
FAX Number: (480) 423-6298
Psychology Department
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, AZ 85256-2626
Listowner: Psychologists Educating Students to Think Skeptically (PESTS)
http://www.sc.maricopa.edu/sbscience/pests/index.html
