Terminology of Seizures
Seizures can be classified as focal (arising from a focus or part of the brain, also called partial seizures, historically called petit mal) or generalized seizures (historically called grand mal) where the whole of the brain has an electrical discharge.
Generalized seizures can be primary (i.e. arising on their own), or secondary (i.e. a progression of a focal seizure spreading throughout the brain).
As well as generalised tonic-clonic seizures, there are two main other types of generalised seizures, Absence seizures (staring for 10-15 seconds with loss of awareness), and Myoclonic seizures (brief jerking of limb muscles for seconds only, with no loss of awareness or consciousness).
When there is a focal seizure this can be with loss of awareness (also called complex partial seizure) or with retained awareness (also called simple partial seizure).
