Hypocretin level measurement
In some rare cases, the physician might need the patient to measure the hypocretin or orexin levels. The hypothalamus or brain’s sleep control house secretes a neurotransmitter known as hypocretin which controls appetite, wakefulness and arousal. The people having low or none hypocretin levels come under the category of having narcolepsy TYPE1 and even if they do not have cataplexy. The physicians rarely use this type of test for diagnosis because it require a lumbar or spinal tap, which can be harmful for the patient.