The thesis contains a large study in which eight male hypocretin deficient narcolepsy with cataplexy patients and eight matched controls were enrolled. Blood was sampled before and on the 5th day... Show moreThe thesis contains a large study in which eight male hypocretin deficient narcolepsy with cataplexy patients and eight matched controls were enrolled. Blood was sampled before and on the 5th day of SXB administration. SXB was taken 2 times 3g per night for 5 consecutive nights. Both groups underwent 24-h blood sampling and many hormones (prolactin, Growth hormone, melatonin, ghrelin, leptin) were measured and compared before and during SXB treatment. A study using the golden standard on insuline sensitivity is decribed to compare insuline sensitivity between patients and controls, and between patients, before and during satisfactory SXB treatment. ANother study describes body and skintemperature differences between narcolepsy patients and controls. Another chapter describes a rarely described, common feature in narcolepsy, in which patients mistake the memory of a dream for a real experience. In another chapter describes that date of birth is not a risk factor for narcolepsy. Show less
This thesis aims to describe the role of glucose metabolism in human longevity and to translate the results to an intervention aimed at improving health in older age in the general population. In... Show moreThis thesis aims to describe the role of glucose metabolism in human longevity and to translate the results to an intervention aimed at improving health in older age in the general population. In the first part, we describe evidence for enhanced glucose metabolism in long-lived families. Middle-aged individuals predisposed to longevity were characterized by enhande insulin action at the level of the skeletal muscle, lower accumulation of intramyocellular lipids and lower nocturnal glucose levels. These results have provided the biological basis upon which health-promoting intervention in older age may be funded. In the second part, we have shonw that an internet-based intervention is effective at increasing physical activity and improving health in an older population. Furthermore, increasing total daily physical activity in sedentary elderly was shown to lead to better metabolic health. Show less
