Krystlelynne’s Weblog

I’m sure we all look at our dogs and notice that their always laying around. I know I always call my dog “lazy bones,” or say “he sure does have the life getting to lay around all day.”

What if your dog isn’t just lazy, but narcoleptic?

Originally uploaded by klostermann

Narcolepsy is a disorder that is classified as excessive daytime sleeping.

Dr. Emmanuel Mignot, director of the Stanford Center for Narcolepsy, just ended a 30 year investigation involving dogs and this super sleepy disorder.

Mignot’s study led to the discovery that a neurochemical called hypocretin plays a vital role in both human and animal narcolepsy. It also plays a role in normal sleep.

Researchers now understand that narcolepsy is created by a deficiency of the brain cells that make hypocretin.

Narcolepsy affects 135,000 Americans.

Mignot is still in search of why hypocretin neurons die in narcoleptic people. The best hypothesis, the immune system attacks the cells. However, there is no evidence to prove this hypothesis.

Mignot has now turned to zebrafish, which possess hypocretin and reproduce rapidly.

So until Mignot finishes his study, your dog may remain sleepy.

Just don’t call it a cat nap.