title: [The Kleine-Levin syndrome].
abstract: Two boys, aged 12 and 13 years, showed relapsing periods of somnolence and excessive eating, starting after a viral illness. One of them also showed periodic disturbance of sexual impulse control. The symptomatic periods were followed by symptom-free intervals in a highly characteristic pattern. This gave the clue to the diagnosis Kleine-Levin syndrome. The cause of this syndrome is unknown, in some cases a relationship between infectious disease or traumatic brain damage has been postulated. A dysfunction of the hypothalamus and associated structures is suspected. The syndrome has a rather favourable prognosis. The symptoms can be relieved by amphetamines, methylphenidate and probably also by lithium carbonate.
authors.affiliation: Afd. Kinderneurologie, Academisch Ziekenhuis Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Visscher
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Smit
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Boer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Njiokiktjien
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D006970:Disorders of Excessive Somnolence / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D008774:Methylphenidate / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000150:complications*; D013577:Syndrome
chemical_list: D008774:Methylphenidate
vernacular_title: Het Kleine-Levin-syndroom.