Overview
Narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) is a chronic brain disorder caused by selective loss or dysfunction of orexin (hypocretin) neurons in the lateral hypothalamus, for which current pharmacological treatments offer limited efficacy. Temporal interference (TI) stimulation is a recently developed noninvasive neuromodulation technique that enables focal modulation of deep brain structures. In this randomized, double-blind study, we developed a theta-burst patterned TI protocol and evaluated its effects in patients with NT1.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Aged 12 to 60 years.
- Diagnosis of narcolepsy type 1 according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Third Edition (ICSD-3), confirmed by polysomnography (PSG) and/or Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) performed within the past 10 years, with the test procedures meeting the minimum technical standards specified in the ICSD-3.
- Epworth Sleepiness Scale score \>12 at baseline.
- Signed informed consent.
Exclusion Criteria:
- Presence of other conditions that cause excessive daytime sleepiness, including restless legs syndrome, periodic limb movement disorder, or moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, etc.
- History of epilepsy, severe neuropsychiatric disorders, or significant cardiac, hepatic, or renal dysfunction.
- Pregnancy or current breastfeeding.
- Contraindications to MRI or electrical stimulation therapy, such as intracranial metallic foreign bodies, cardiac pacemakers, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, or cochlear implants.
