Narcolepsy: Epidemiology Forecast to 2035

Narcolepsy: Epidemiology Forecast to 2035

Summary

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that affects the brain’s ability to control sleep-wake cycles, making people very sleepy during the day (Mayo Clinic, 2024; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, 2026). Some patients also have other symptoms, such as muscle weakness when they feel strong emotions, which is known as cataplexy. Narcolepsy can disrupt daily life, making it hard to work, study, or maintain relationships. Narcolepsy is an uncommon but manageable lifelong condition (Cleveland Clinic, 2025). There are two main types of narcolepsy: narcolepsy type 1 (NT1) and narcolepsy type 2 (NT2). NT1 causes sudden muscle weakness (cataplexy) and may be accompanied by very low levels of a brain chemical called hypocretin/orexin. NT2 causes daytime sleepiness like NT1 but is not associated with cataplexy and hypocretin/orexin levels are usually normal (Cleveland Clinic, 2025).

Scope

• This report provides an overview of the risk factors, comorbidities, and the global and historical epidemiological trends for narcolepsy in the seven major markets (7MM: US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, and Japan). The report includes a 10-year epidemiology forecast for the total and diagnosed prevalent cases of narcolepsy. The total and diagnosed prevalent cases of narcolepsy are segmented by age, sex, and narcolepsy type (NT1 and NT2).
• This report defines narcolepsy using International Statistical Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11) codes 7A20.0 and 7A20.1, ICD-10 code G47.4, ICD-9 codes 347.0-347.11, and country-specific ICD-10 narcolepsy code (ICD-10-GM) 47.4 in Germany, and narcolepsy defined according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Third Edition.
• These criteria identified narcolepsy cases and were comparable to each other. As such, the definition was applied consistently across all markets. This epidemiology forecast for narcolepsy is supported by data obtained from peer-reviewed articles and population-based studies. The forecast methodology was kept consistent across the 7MM to allow for a meaningful comparison of the forecast for the total and diagnosed prevalent cases of narcolepsy across these markets

Reasons to Buy

The narcolepsy series will allow you to:

• Develop business strategies by understanding the trends shaping and driving the global narcolepsy markets.
• Quantify patient populations in the global narcolepsy markets to improve product design, pricing, and launch plans.
• Organize sales and marketing efforts by identifying the age groups and sex that present the best opportunities for narcolepsy therapeutics in each of the markets covered.
• Understand magnitude of the narcolepsy population by age, sex, and narcolepsy type.