Given the specifications, what should the sensitivity be set to?

The sensitivity setting in polysomnography refers to the scale used to display EEG, EOG, and EMG waveforms. It is crucial for accurately interpreting the data captured during a sleep study. Setting the sensitivity to 7.5 µV/mm is correct because this value allows for a good balance between visibility of small signals and the prevention of saturation due to larger amplitude activity.

In polysomnographic recordings, a sensitivity of 7.5 µV/mm is often used as a standard, particularly for EEG, because it provides optimal detail for discerning sleep stages and identifying events such as apneas or arousals without overwhelming the display with excessive amplitude.

Lower sensitivity (like 5 µV/mm) might not capture larger waveforms adequately, potentially missing significant brain activity, while a higher sensitivity (like 10 or 15 µV/mm) could lead to loss of detail for smaller signals, making it difficult to interpret minute changes in sleep architecture or the occurrence of specific events. Therefore, 7.5 µV/mm is frequently recommended for comprehensive analysis in sleep studies due to the nuanced information it retains.