Researchers Honored for Discovering Narcolepsy Cause
Two scientists received a major award for their 1990s work identifying orexin deficiency as the cause of narcolepsy, paving the way for new treatments.
Two researchers who discovered the cause of narcolepsy have won a prestigious science award. Emmanuel Mignot of France and Masashi Yanagisawa of Japan received the Albert Lasker Prize on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, for their groundbreaking 1990s work.
Working independently, they both concluded that narcolepsy is caused by a missing brain chemical. Their complementary research identified the neurotransmitter orexin, also called hypocretin, as the key. In people and mice with the disorder, this substance is absent. In dogs with a hereditary form, orexin is present but cannot function due to a genetic mutation.
The Path to Discovery
Emmanuel Mignot, a professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, was fascinated by the "really weird" disorder. He spent a decade studying the genomes of narcoleptic dogs. "Everyone told me it was crazy," Mignot told reporters. "But I really believed in it." His persistence paid off in 1999.
Around the same time, Masashi Yanagisawa identified orexin. He initially thought it was involved in hunger. His team later found that its absence caused narcolepsy in mice. Yanagisawa, a doctor and biologist affiliated with Tsukuba University, described the moment as a "very dramatic and beautiful convergence of science."
A Genetic Breakthrough
The discovery that narcolepsy has a genetic basis revolutionized sleep science. "Before then, sleep had never been a field for genetics and molecular biology," Yanagisawa said. Previously, researchers only studied sleep by creating brain lesions. The finding opened entirely new avenues for understanding and treating sleep disorders.
This foundational work directly led to new therapies. A drug targeting orexin deficiency for people with type 1 narcolepsy was approved this year in the United States, China, and Japan. "This was a big change," Mignot said. He reported dramatic improvements in his patients, many of whom had severely disrupted lives. "Suddenly they are back to normal. I have some who started playing hockey or dancing. It gave them back their freedom."
Conversely, treatments that block orexin's stimulating effects have emerged to help people with insomnia.
Unanswered Questions
Despite this progress, many mysteries about sleep and narcolepsy remain. The mechanisms of shifting between sleep and wakefulness are understood, but the trigger is not. "It is a real mystery," Yanagisawa said.
Researchers still do not know why people with narcolepsy lack orexin. Mignot suspects an autoimmune attack, potentially linked to the flu virus, and is currently trying to prove this. Another puzzle is why strong emotions like laughter or anger can trigger sudden sleep attacks in those with the condition. "We don't really understand why they fall asleep," Mignot said.
The two scientists were also honored with a Breakthrough Prize in 2023. Their work continues to shape the understanding and treatment of sleep disorders worldwide.
