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. 2010 Jul;35(7):392–415.

Table 1.

Types of Epileptic Seizures

Partial (focal) seizures

  • Simple partial (with motor, sensory, autonomic, or psychic signs; consciousness is not impaired)

  • Complex partial (consciousness is impaired)

  • Partial seizures evolving to secondarily generalized seizures

Primarily generalized seizures

  • Absence (petit mal)

  • Myoclonic

  • Clonic

  • Tonic

  • Tonic–clonic (grand mal)

  • Atonic

Unclassified seizures

  • Neonatal seizures

  • Infantile spasms

Adapted from Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th ed., 2008,5 and Epilepsy.com, http://professionals.epilepsy.com/page/seizures_classified.html.