Certified Neuroscience Registered Nurse (CNRN) Practice Exam

Which of the following statements is true regarding patients with narcolepsy?

1. They require frequent nighttime awakenings

2. Sleep attacks can occur during any activity

3. Excessive sleepiness is usually accompanied by vivid dreams

4. It is a condition primarily affecting older adults

The correct answer is: Sleep attacks can occur during any activity

The statement that patients with narcolepsy can experience sleep attacks during any activity is particularly accurate. Narcolepsy is characterized by sudden and uncontrollable episodes of sleep, known as cataplexy, which can occur at any time, regardless of the activity the person is engaged in. This unpredictability of sleep attacks is one of the hallmark features of narcolepsy, often leading to significant disruptions in daily life. The other statements do not accurately reflect the nature of narcolepsy. For instance, while individuals with narcolepsy often experience excessive daytime sleepiness, they typically do not require frequent nighttime awakenings; their sleep can be disturbed, but the disorder's primary feature is the overwhelming need to sleep during the day. Although vivid dreams can accompany sleep onset in some cases, excessive sleepiness itself is not reliably linked to them across all patients with narcolepsy. Lastly, narcolepsy typically begins during childhood or adolescence, making it less common as a primary condition affecting older adults.