The link between H1N1 vaccine and Narcolepsy

In 2009, swine flu haunted the nation as many experienced unpleasant symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, chills, fatigue, diarrhea, and vomiting. As a result of the fear, vaccinations were available for prevention. In 2010, Margaret Chan, the head of the World Health Organization stated that the pandemic flu has ended. 

Even though the pandemic may be over, vaccination used against influenza are thought to cause another problem. The French Agency for Sanitary Control of medicinal products announced that there were 22 cases of narcolepsy after the use of the H1N1 vaccine in Europe. Is this a coincidence or is there really a link between narcolepsy and the influenza vaccine?

Emmanuel Mignot, a sleep researcher at Stanford University, explained that narcolepsy is an autoimmune disease or an occurrence where the immune system attacks healthy and normal cells and tissues. He stated that the immune system attacks and destroys neurons that produce hypocretin, which ultimately affect the sleep cycle. According to Mignot, narcolepsy is hereditary and is greatly influenced by environmental factors that can initiate an autoimmune response.  In his paper, Annals of Neurology, Mignot proposes that one environmental trigger is H1N1. A study in China showed that the greatest number of narcolepsy cases occurred a few months after the flu. Although there is a relationship according to this study, other researchers are unable to find the link between the vaccine and narcolepsy.

Despite inconsistent findings, more studies are being done in order to understand if narcolepsy is truly related to the influenza vaccination. Further analysis can ultimately provide information on the cause of narcolepsy and the destruction of hypocretin cells.

Here is a video from Finland YLA News on the link between the swine flu shot and Narcolepsy in children: