AASM Study Guide Solved Correctly Latest Update 2025-2026
What are the recommended derivations? - Answers There are 3; (a)F4-M1; (b)C4-M1; (c)O2-M1
Where should backup electrodes be placed? Why? - Answers They should be placed at F3, C3, and M2 to
allow the display of F3-M2, C3-M2, and O1-M2 if the electrodes malfunction during the study.
What are alternative and acceptable derivations? - Answers There are 3; (a)F2-C2, (b)C2-O2, (c)C4-M1
Where should alternative backup electrodes be placed? Why? - Answers They should be placed at Fpz,
C3, O1, and M2 to allow substitution of Fz, C3 for Cz or C4, O1 for O2 and M2 for M1 if electrodes
malfunction during study.
What system is used for electrode positioning? Why? - Answers 10-20 system; there is a minimum of 3
EEG derivations required in order to sample activity from the frontal, central, and occipital regions.
What does "EOG" stand for? - Answers Electro-Oculogram
What does M1 and M2 refer to? - Answers They refer to the left/right mastoid processes.
What is the recommended EOG derivations? Where are they placed? - Answers The recommended
derivations are E1-M2 and E2-M1. E1-M2 is placed 1cm below the left-outer corner of the eye and E2-
M1 is placed 1cm above the right-outer corner of the eye.
What are the alternative and acceptable derivations for EOGs and where should they be placed? -
Answers E1-Fpz and E2-Fpz; E1-Fpz is placed 1cm lateral to the corner of the left eye and E2-Fpz is
placed 1cm lateral to the corner of the right eye.
Describe how using the alternative placement for EOGs (lateral of the left/right corner of the eye) works
- Answers This alternative records the direction of the eye movement. Vertical movements will show in
phase directions and horizontal movement will show out-of-phase deflections.
What does "EMG" stand for? - Answers Electromyogram
How many electrodes should be placed to record chin EMG? Where should they be placed? - Answers -3
electrodes
-one in the midline 1cm above the inferior edge of the mandible, one 2cm right of the midline, and one
2cm below the inferior edge of the mandible
Why do we use these standard placements for chin EMGs? - Answers The standard chin EMG derivation
consists of an electrode below the mandible that is referenced to the electrode above the mandible. The
other inferior electrode is backup to allow continued display of EMG activity if one of the primary
electrodes malfunctions.
What is the recommended terminology for stages of sleep? - Answers There are 5 stages: W
(wakefulness), N1, N2, N3 and R (REM)
, What does N3 represent? - Answers Slow wave sleep
How long is an epoch? - Answers 30 seconds
If 2 or more stages coexist during a single epoch what should you do? - Answers Assign the stage
compromising the greatest portion of that epoch
What is alpha rhythm? - Answers Trains of sinusoidal 8-13Hz activity recorded over occipital region with
eye closure, attenuating with eye opening
What is eye blinks? - Answers Conjugate vertical eye movements at a frequency present in wakefulness
with the eyes opened or closed
What is reading eye movement? - Answers Trains of conjugate eye movements consisting of a slow
phase followed by a rapid phase in the opposite direction as the subject reads
What is rapid eye movement? - Answers Conjugate, irregular, sharply packed eye movements with an
initial direction usually lasting <500msec
True or False
Rapid eye movement is a characteristic of REM and can not be seen in W with a patients eyes opened -
Answers False
What should you score an epoch if more than 50% of the epoch has alpha rhythm over the occipital
region? - Answers Score as W
What are the rules for W? - Answers -eye blinks at a frequency of 0.5-2Hz
-reading eye movement
-irregular conjugate rapid eye movements associated with normal/high chin muscle tone
What does "SEM" stand for? - Answers Slow Eye Movement
What is slow eye movement? - Answers Conjugate, reasonably regular, sinusoidal eye movement with
an initial deflection usually lasting >500msec
What is low amplitude, mixed frequency activity? - Answers Low amplitude, predominantly 3-7Hz
What is a vertex sharp wave (v-wave)? - Answers Sharply, conjured waves with a duration <0.5 seconds
maximal over the central region and distinguishable from background activity
What is sleep onset? - Answers The start of the first epoch scored as any stage other than W
What are the rules for N1? - Answers -activity range of 3-7Hz
What are the recommended derivations? - Answers There are 3; (a)F4-M1; (b)C4-M1; (c)O2-M1
Where should backup electrodes be placed? Why? - Answers They should be placed at F3, C3, and M2 to
allow the display of F3-M2, C3-M2, and O1-M2 if the electrodes malfunction during the study.
What are alternative and acceptable derivations? - Answers There are 3; (a)F2-C2, (b)C2-O2, (c)C4-M1
Where should alternative backup electrodes be placed? Why? - Answers They should be placed at Fpz,
C3, O1, and M2 to allow substitution of Fz, C3 for Cz or C4, O1 for O2 and M2 for M1 if electrodes
malfunction during study.
What system is used for electrode positioning? Why? - Answers 10-20 system; there is a minimum of 3
EEG derivations required in order to sample activity from the frontal, central, and occipital regions.
What does "EOG" stand for? - Answers Electro-Oculogram
What does M1 and M2 refer to? - Answers They refer to the left/right mastoid processes.
What is the recommended EOG derivations? Where are they placed? - Answers The recommended
derivations are E1-M2 and E2-M1. E1-M2 is placed 1cm below the left-outer corner of the eye and E2-
M1 is placed 1cm above the right-outer corner of the eye.
What are the alternative and acceptable derivations for EOGs and where should they be placed? -
Answers E1-Fpz and E2-Fpz; E1-Fpz is placed 1cm lateral to the corner of the left eye and E2-Fpz is
placed 1cm lateral to the corner of the right eye.
Describe how using the alternative placement for EOGs (lateral of the left/right corner of the eye) works
- Answers This alternative records the direction of the eye movement. Vertical movements will show in
phase directions and horizontal movement will show out-of-phase deflections.
What does "EMG" stand for? - Answers Electromyogram
How many electrodes should be placed to record chin EMG? Where should they be placed? - Answers -3
electrodes
-one in the midline 1cm above the inferior edge of the mandible, one 2cm right of the midline, and one
2cm below the inferior edge of the mandible
Why do we use these standard placements for chin EMGs? - Answers The standard chin EMG derivation
consists of an electrode below the mandible that is referenced to the electrode above the mandible. The
other inferior electrode is backup to allow continued display of EMG activity if one of the primary
electrodes malfunctions.
What is the recommended terminology for stages of sleep? - Answers There are 5 stages: W
(wakefulness), N1, N2, N3 and R (REM)
, What does N3 represent? - Answers Slow wave sleep
How long is an epoch? - Answers 30 seconds
If 2 or more stages coexist during a single epoch what should you do? - Answers Assign the stage
compromising the greatest portion of that epoch
What is alpha rhythm? - Answers Trains of sinusoidal 8-13Hz activity recorded over occipital region with
eye closure, attenuating with eye opening
What is eye blinks? - Answers Conjugate vertical eye movements at a frequency present in wakefulness
with the eyes opened or closed
What is reading eye movement? - Answers Trains of conjugate eye movements consisting of a slow
phase followed by a rapid phase in the opposite direction as the subject reads
What is rapid eye movement? - Answers Conjugate, irregular, sharply packed eye movements with an
initial direction usually lasting <500msec
True or False
Rapid eye movement is a characteristic of REM and can not be seen in W with a patients eyes opened -
Answers False
What should you score an epoch if more than 50% of the epoch has alpha rhythm over the occipital
region? - Answers Score as W
What are the rules for W? - Answers -eye blinks at a frequency of 0.5-2Hz
-reading eye movement
-irregular conjugate rapid eye movements associated with normal/high chin muscle tone
What does "SEM" stand for? - Answers Slow Eye Movement
What is slow eye movement? - Answers Conjugate, reasonably regular, sinusoidal eye movement with
an initial deflection usually lasting >500msec
What is low amplitude, mixed frequency activity? - Answers Low amplitude, predominantly 3-7Hz
What is a vertex sharp wave (v-wave)? - Answers Sharply, conjured waves with a duration <0.5 seconds
maximal over the central region and distinguishable from background activity
What is sleep onset? - Answers The start of the first epoch scored as any stage other than W
What are the rules for N1? - Answers -activity range of 3-7Hz
