Polysomnography
Polysomnography or sleep study test determines a variety of signals during the sleep by using electrodes placing on the scalp of the patient. The patient must spend a night at a sleep or medical center for performing this test. The sleep study of polysomnography measures the electrical activity of the brain, movement of heart, movement of eyes and muscles by using electroencephalogram, electrocardiogram, electro-oculogram and electromyogram respectively. The sleep specialist also monitors the breathing in the polysomnographic test for the narcolepsy patients.
The above mentioned tests can also help in ruling out the other possible causes of the narcolepsy symptoms. Some other sleeping disorders such as sleep apnea, chronic sleep deprivation and the use of sedating medications might also lead to excessive daytime sleepiness.