Dictionary

epilepsy, akinetic A seizure disorder that is characterized by drop seizures, in which the patient experiences a temporary loss of consciousness and lack of movement (akinesia).

epilepsy, benign rolandic The most common type of partial seizure disorder, which is usually characterized by partial seizures during sleep. The only outward sign of benign rolandic epilepsy may be movements of the face and mouth or staring spells. Benign rolandic epilepsy begins between the ages of 2 and 13 years, and it is called…

epilepsy, grand mal Epilepsy that includes tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures, which are the most obvious type of seizure. There are two parts to a tonic-clonic seizure. In the tonic phase, the body becomes rigid, and in the clonic phase, there is uncontrolled jerking. A tonic-clonic seizure may or may not be preceded by an aura,…

epilepsy, Jacksonian A seizure disorder that is characterized by progressive spreading of abnormal sensations or movements from one local area of the body to more widespread areas. Jacksonian epilepsy is caused by the progressive spread of abnormal electrical activity in the motor cortex of the brain. Seizures of this type typically cause no change in…

epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic A form of epilepsy that occurs in young people, most commonly in the teenage years. It is characterized by jerking (myoclonic) movements of the arms and upper torso, without loss of consciousness. Seizures are most likely to occur when a person is awakening from sleep. Many children with this disorder are sensitive…

epilepsy, Landau-Kleffner See Landau-Kleffner syndrome.

epilepsy, partial Epilepsy characterized by seizures that affects only one part of the brain. Symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected. One part of the body, or multiple parts on one side of the body, may start to twitch uncontrollably. Partial seizures may involve head turning, eye movements, lip smacking, mouth movements,…

epilepsy, petit mal A form of epilepsy in which only absence (petit mal) seizures occur, with very brief, unannounced lapses in consciousness. See also seizure, absence.

epilepsy, temporal lobe Epilepsy characterized by abnormal electrical activity in the temporal lobe of the brain. This activity does not cause grand mal seizures; rather, it causes unusual behaviors and patterns of cognition. Temporal lobe epilepsy may, for example, cause sudden outbursts of unexpected aggression or agitation, or it may be characterized by aura-like phenomena….

epileptic aura See aura.

enzyme A protein or protein-based molecule that speeds up a chemical reaction in a living organism. An enzyme acts as a catalyst for specific chemical reactions, converting a specific set of reactants (substrates) into specific products. Without enzymes, life as we know it would not exist. Errors in the design of enzymes are responsible for…

enzyme defect A disorder resulting from a deficiency (or functional abnormality) of an enzyme. For example, newborns are routinely screened for certain enzyme defects, such as phenylketonuria (PKU) and galactosemia.