petit mal seizure

petit mal seizure.

See absence seizure.

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seizure [se´zhur]

1. the sudden attack or recurrence of a disease.

2. a convulsion or attack of epilepsy.

absence seizure the seizure seen in petit mal epilepsy, marked by a momentary break in the stream of thought and activity, accompanied by a symmetrical spike and wave at 3 cycles per second on the electroencephalogram. Called also petit malseizure. See epilepsy.

atonic seizure an absence seizure characterized by sudden loss of muscle tone.

complex partial seizure see partial seizure.

febrile seizure febrile convulsion.

focal seizure partial seizure.

focal motor seizure a simple partial seizure consisting of clonus or spasm of a muscle or muscle group, occurring either singly or in a continuous repetitive series.

generalized tonic-clonic seizure (grand mal seizure) the seizure seen in grand mal epilepsy, marked by loss of consciousness and generalized tonic convulsions followed by clonic convulsions. See epilepsy.

jackknife s's infantile spasms.

myoclonic seizure one characterized by a brief episode of myoclonus.

partial seizure any seizure due to a lesion in a specific, known area of the cerebral cortex; symptoms vary with different lesion locations. A simple partial seizure is the most localized type, with a discharge that is predominantly one-sided or presents localized features without loss of consciousness. A complex partial seizure is associated with disease of the temporal lobe and characterized by varying degrees of impairment of consciousness. See epilepsy.

petit mal seizure absence seizure.

reflex seizure (sensory seizure) an epileptic seizure in response to a sensory stimulus, which may be tactile, visual, auditory, or musical.

simple partial seizure see partial seizure.

tonic-clonic seizure see generalized tonic-clonic seizure.

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seizure

1. the sudden attack or recurrence of a disease.

2. a convulsion or attack of epilepsy.

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audiogenic seizure

a seizure brought on by sound.

cerebral seizure

an attack of epilepsy.

epileptiform seizure

see epileptiform.

focal seizure

see partial seizure (below).

generalized seizure

see grand mal seizure (below).

grand mal seizure

one with no localizing signs. After a brief period of restlessness, there is unconsciousness, generalized muscular activity, excessive salivation, chewing activity, opisthotonos, running movements, and often urination and defecation. The most common type of seizure in dogs and cats.

Jacksonian seizure

see Jacksonian epilepsy.

partial seizure

one restricted to a focus in the brain; signs correspond to the area affected, e.g. motor activity of an isolated area or limb, hallucinations such as fly catching, apparent blindness, behavioral abnormalities, etc. Called also focal seizures.

petit mal seizure

a mild, very brief generalized seizure. See also petit mal.

photogenic seizure

a seizure brought on by light.

psychomotor seizure

motor seizures accompanied by a psychic stage. There are hallucinations, salivation, pupillary dilatation, mastication, fecal and urinary excretion, and wild running. Seen in dogs with lesions in the pyriform lobe or hippocampus and from poisoning with agenized flour (canine hysteria). Called also running fits.

tetanic seizure

see tetany.

seizure threshold

the level of stimulation at which a seizure is precipitated.

tonic seizure

one in which the muscles are rigid.

tonic-clonic seizure

alternating tonic (rigid muscles) and clonic (jerking of muscles) phases; a grand mal seizure.