There are hundreds of epilepsy syndromes, many of them, which occur rarely. These syndromes are often named for their symptoms or for the part of the brain where they originate.

Partial seizures:

These are epilepsies with a clearly defined focal area within the brain. As a result, they have highly characteristic symptoms, such as visual hallucinations, or motor difficulties on one side of the body.

a) Benign occipital epilepsy
b) Benign rolandic epilepsy
c) Frontal lobe epilepsy
d) Occipital lobe epilepsy
e) Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy
f) Parietal lobe epilepsy

Generalized seizures:

Generalized seizures affect a more widespread area of the brain than the partial seizures do and they have more serious consequences. The types of generalized seizures are:

1.absence seizures (petit mal):

Absence seizures, also called petit mal (which means "little sickness"), cause a momentary loss of consciousness. These episodes usually last less than 30 seconds and may be so brief that they go unnoticed.

2.tonic seizures:

Tonic seizures cause the muscles to stiffen, but no twitching occurs. These seizures usually affect the back, arms, and legs. People who have tonic seizures lose consciousness for about 10 seconds.

3. Clonic seizures:

Clonic seizures cause muscles to jerk on both sides of the body, but the body does not go rigid as in tonic seizures. This type of seizure is rare and affects mostly young children.

4. Myoclonic seizures:

Myoclonic seizures may cause the muscles to jerk and twitch in a part of the body such as an arm or leg, or in the whole body.

5. Atonic seizures:

Atonic seizures cause a complete loss of muscle tone. These seizures are also called drop attacks because people who have them will suddenly lose consciousness and collapse. After a period as short as 10 seconds, the person regains consciousness and can stand and walk again.

6. Tonic clonic seizures (grandmal):

Also known as grand mal (which means "big sickness"), tonic-clonic seizures cause a mixture of symptoms:

a) Begins with a tonic phase in which the muscles suddenly go rigid.
b) After t 30 seconds, the seizure may enter the clonic phase in which the muscles go rigid and relax in spasms.
c) Bladder and bowel control may be lost.
d) The throat tightens so that breathing makes a high-pitched sound called stridor.

Aura:

Some people who have partial seizures experience unusual sensations that warn them that they are about to have a seizure. This premonitory state is called aura.

Auras take several different forms:

a) Sometimes it is perceived as a sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach or a sense of "deja vu" (already seen).
b) Sometimes it takes the form of an auditory hallucination, like an advertising jingle.



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