What is Idiopathic Hypersomnia/ Major Hypersomnolence Disorder?

IHS is a disorder of the nervous system in which there often appears to be over production of a small molecule that acts like a sleeping pill (e.g., a sedative-hypnotic drug such as Versed®), or anesthetic (e.g., propofol).  Although the exact composition of this small molecule is yet to be determined, much is known about how it interacts with γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a principal player in the brain mechanisms that promote sleep.  In the presence of this substance, the inhibitory and sleep promoting actions of GABA are enhanced at the receptors at which it acts (see Figure 1).

Idiopathic Hypersomnia