Diagnosis of narcolepsy using ambulatory EEG, Ambulatory EEG (A-EEG) a
llows longterm polygraphic recording over 24 hours or more and proves
to be particularly useful in the diagnosis of narcolepsy-cataplexy (N/
C). We performed A-EEG using the Medilog 9000-8 channel system over a
total of 36 24-hour periods in 20 consecutive N/C patients and recorde
d an average of 3.5 daytime sleep episodes, of wich 2.2 were with SORE
MP, and 21 evening SOREMP (58%). A MSLT was performed using A-EEG in 1
6 cases. Continuous A-EEG proved to be more informative than the MSLT,
and may represent a valid alternative to the classic continuous polyg
raphic recordings performed in the sleep lab, that are more cumbersome
and costly. Although a full-night polysomnographic recording is still
necessary whenever other sleep disorders are suspected in association
with N/C, A-EEG is a first-line practical method for the confirmation
of N/C, wich remains a clinical diagnosis.