Narcolepsy is a chronic disease beginning often in childhood or adolescence.Owing to the atypical clinical course at this age,the diagnosis is established several years later;2/3 of the patients are undiagnosed.Nineteen adolescent patients were included in the clinical study (mean age at diagnosis 13.3 ±3.5 years,mean age at the time of the first symptom 10.1 ±3.4 years,mean latency of diagnosis 2.4 ±1.9 years,mean follow-up period 4.1 ±3.5 years).Excessive daytime sleepiness was mostly the first symptom of the disease (in 11 of 19 patients),frequently without any imperative character of sleepiness. Attacks of cataplexy were often only sporadic.The fully expressed clinical tetrad (sleepiness,cataplexy, sleep paralysis,hypnagogic hallucinations),and /or appearance of 3 symptoms were only rarely present (1/4 of the cases).In 10 subjects from the above mentioned group,a questionnaire study was done with the aim to expand the knowledge of the psychosocial and emotional impact of narcolepsy in adolescence. Subjects reported impaired school performance,patients tend to be socially withdrawn,unable to join leisure activities.Narcolepsy also affected the patients ’personality.All these psychosocial factors restrict the quality of life,similarly as epilepsy or schizophrenia.

        Key words: narcolepsy,cataplexy,adolescence,clinical picture,MSLT,psychosocial aspects,quality of life