Question:
What is the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test (MWT), and how is it performed in clinical sleep studies?
Answer:
Maintenance of wakefulness test (MWT). This test measures a patient’s ability to stay awake during a designated time. During the MWT, the activity of the brain, eyes, chin, and heart is monitored during four prescheduled 30-minute periods. This procedure measures a person’s ability to remain awake during sleep-inducing circumstances (i.e., sitting in a dark room). As with the MSLT, this procedure is usually conducted on the day following an overnight sleep study or PSG.
