Kleine-Levin Syndrome What is Kleine-Levin Syndrome? Kleine-Levin syndrome is a rare disorder that causes recurring periods of excessive drowsiness and sleep (up to 20 hours per day). Symptoms, which may last for days to weeks, include excessive food intake, irritability, disorientation, lack of energy, and hypersensitivity to noise. Some patients may also experience hallucinations and an abnormally uninhibited sex drive. Affected persons are normal between episodes, although depression and amnesia may be noted temporarily after an attack. It may be weeks or more before symptoms reappear. Onset is typically around adolescence to the late teens. The disorder is 4 times more common in males than in females. Symptoms may be related to malfunction of the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that governs appetite and sleep. Is there any treatment? There is no definitive treatment for Kleine-Levin syndrome. Stimulants, including amphetamines, methylphenidate and modafinil, administered orally, are used to treat sleepiness. Because of similarities between Kleine-Levin syndrome and certain mood disorders, lithium and carbamazepine may be prescribed. Responses to treatment have often been limited. This disorder needs to be differentiated from cyclic re-occurrence of sleepiness during the premenstrual period in teenaged girls that may be controlled with birth control pills. What is the prognosis? The disorder appears to be benign and does not impact on intellect or physical function. Symptoms usually improve or disappear with advancing age.   Resources National Sleep Foundation 1522 K Street Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20005 Tel: (202)347-3471 Fax: (202)347-3472 Email: nsf@sleepfoundation.org Internet: http://www.sleepfoundation.org American Sleep Disorders Association 1610 14th Street NW Suite 300 Rochester, MN 55901 Tel: (507)287-6006 Fax: (507)287-6008 Email: asda@millcomm.com National Mental Health Consumers' Self-Help Clearinghouse 1211 Chestnut Street Suite 1207 Philadelphia, PA 19107-6312 USA Tel: 2127511810 Fax: 2156366312 Tel: 8005534539 Email: info@mhselfhelp.org Internet: http://www.mhselfhelp.org National Mental Health Association 2001 North Beauregard Street 12th Floor Alexandria, VA 22311 USA Tel: 7036847722 Fax: 7036845968 Tel: 8009696642 TDD: 8004335959 Email: infoctr@nmha.org Internet: http://www.nmha.org NIH/National Institute of Mental Health 6001 Executive Blvd Rm 8184, MSC 9663 Rockville, MD 20892-9663 Tel: (301)443-4513 Email: nimhinfo@nih.gov Internet: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) 31 Center Drive 8A07 Bethesda, MD 20892-2540 Tel: (301)496-5751 Fax: (301)402-2186 Tel: (800)352-9424 Email: braininfo@ninds.nih.gov Internet: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/ MUMS (Mothers United for Moral Support, Inc) National Parent-to-Parent Network 150 Custer Court Green Bay, WI 54301-1243 USA Tel: 9203365333 Fax: 9203390995 Tel: 8773365333 Email: mums@netnet.net Internet: http://www.netnet.net/mums/ Kleine-Levin Syndrome Foundation PO Box 5382 San Jose, CA 95150-5382 Tel: (408)265-1099 Fax: (408)269-2131 Email: facts@klsfoundation.org Internet: http://www.klsfoundation.org