Basic informations
Investigator: MUDr. Jitka Bušková, Ph.D.
Main recipient: General University Hospital in Prague (VFN)
Co-recipient: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, v. v. i.
Research period: 1/5/2020 – 31/12/2023
Total budget: 13,999,000 CZK
NIMH budget: 1,807,000 CZK
Supported by: Czech Health Research Council (AZV ČR)
Annotation
Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1), narcolepsy type 2 (NT2) and idiopathic hypersomnia (IH) have as a main symptom central hypersomnia (CH). The etiopathophysiology of NT1 is related to the hypocretin deficiency of autoimmune origin. The etiopathophysiology of NT2 and IH is unknown. There are doubts on the independence of NT2 and IH and their long-term course. The gut microbiota has an impact on brain functions and behavior either directly by mediators’ production or indirectly via autoantibodies against selected neurons. This evokes the hypothesis that microbiota has a role in etiopathophysiology of diseases with CH and may modify actual intensity of hypersomnia itself. Patients with CH and healthy controls will be clinically examined (including the long-term evolution of NT2 and IH). Their stools will be genetically analyzed in attempt to define the microbiome of the gut microbiota. The autoantibodies will be searched in their blood. The results will be mutually correlated. This research may elucidate the pathophysiology of CH disorders as well as may help to counselling the patients.