epilepsia minor
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- A type of epileptic seizure: "epilepsia minor" is a medical term for a specific, relatively mild form of epileptic seizure. It involves very brief lapses in consciousness, often accompanied by subtle muscle movements like staring or slight twitching, without the full convulsions typical of a major seizure.
Usage
- "Epilepsia minor" is a formal, clinical term. In everyday language and even in much modern medical communication, the terms petit mal or absence seizure are more commonly used.
- It is used to classify and describe a specific neurological condition.
Examples
- Noun:
- The electroencephalogram (EEG) showed patterns consistent with epilepsia minor.
- Epilepsia minor can sometimes go unnoticed because the episodes are so brief.
Advanced Usage
- The term is often used in historical or very formal medical texts. In contemporary practice, the specific type of "epilepsia minor" is usually described more precisely (e.g., "typical absence seizures").
- It can be part of a differential diagnosis to distinguish it from other seizure types like "epilepsia major" (grand mal).
Variants and Related Words
- Petit mal (n): The common synonym for "epilepsia minor." This is a French term meaning "little illness."
- Absence seizure (n): The modern clinical term describing the brief loss of awareness characteristic of this condition.
- Epilepsy (n): The broader neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, of which epilepsia minor is one type.
Synonyms
- Petit mal
- Absence seizure
- Minor epileptic seizure
Notes on Meaning
- Epilepsia minor specifically refers to seizures with minimal motor activity. It contrasts with epilepsia major (grand mal or tonic-clonic seizures), which involves violent muscle contractions and loss of consciousness.
- The condition primarily affects consciousness and awareness for a short period (usually seconds).
Noun
- a seizure of short duration characterized by momentary unconsciousness and local muscle spasms or twitching
- the girl was frightened by her first petit mal
- epilepsy characterized by paroxysmal attacks of brief clouding of consciousness (and possibly other abnormalities)
- she has been suffering from petit mal since childhood