Cataplexy

What it means

A sudden and transient episode of bilateral loss of muscle tone, often triggered by emotions.

Cataplexy is a frequent feature of narcolepsy, a neurologic disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and manifestations of disrupted rapid eye movement sleep stage.

Rare diseases that can present with this7

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Narcolepsy