Narcolepsy and psychopathology: is there an association?
BACKGROUND
It is widely believed that patients with narcolepsy show high rates of associated psychiatric disturbance, especially schizophrenia and depression. However, surveys have produced conflicting findings and have not addressed the potential confounding effects of stimulant drug treatment.


METHODS
Forty-five patients with narcolepsy attending a sleep disorder clinic and 50 matched normal controls underwent structured psychiatric interview. Using a 'lifetime' approach, psychiatric symptoms and diagnoses were established for both groups.


RESULTS
Four of the narcolepsy patients but none of the controls had experienced psychotic symptoms. All four patients were taking amphetamines, and the symptoms resolved when the dose was lowered or treatment was changed to modafinil. The lifetime frequency of various depressive syndromes did not differ significantly between the groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Contrary to previous claims this study found little to suggest that narcolepsy is associated with schizophrenia. Nor, despite its serious social and occupational consequences, does narcolepsy appear to be associated with an increased frequency of diagnosable depressive disorders.
Department of Child Psychiatry, Maudsley Hospital, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ, UK.
A
A
Vourdas
J M
JM
Shneerson
C A
CA
Gregory
I E
IE
Smith
M A
MA
King
E
E
Morrish
P J
PJ
McKenna