Moebius syndrome and narcolepsy: A case dissertation

• Main Authors: Lídia Sabaneeff, Henrique Mendes Motta, Juliana Castro, Sergio Tufik, Fernando Morgadinho Santos Coelho
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazilian Association of Sleep and Latin American Federation of Sleep Societies 2014-03-01
• Series: Sleep Science
• Subjects: Moebius syndrome; Diurnal excessive sleepiness; Narcolepsy
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1984006314000157

Moebius syndrome (MS) is a congenital syndrome characterized by unilateral or bilateral aplasia of the VI and VII cranial nerves, with consequent convergent strabismus and bilateral peripheral facial paralysis. This syndrome might be associated with diurnal excessive sleepiness and muscular hypotony, mimetizing in this manner, narcolepsy. The diagnostic criteria for narcolepsy depend on the presence of REM sleep during the day. As with patients with MS we do not have ocular movements due to the VI nerve paralysis, the absence of horizontal ocular movements might make it difficult to confirm narcolepsy in these patients. The common clinical characteristics of these patients are due to a possible impairment of the same structures that are affected in the central nervous system. However, the mechanism by which it occurs remains to be fully understood. Further electrophysiological researches are necessary to better clarify the association of these two diseases. The objective of this dissertation is to describe and discuss a case of Moebius syndrome with diurnal excessive sleepiness as a differential diagnosis for narcolepsy.