ABSENCE SEIZURE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does absence seizure mean? 

• ABSENCE SEIZURE (noun)
  The noun ABSENCE SEIZURE has 1 sense:

1. the occurrence of an abrupt, transient loss or impairment of consciousness (which is not subsequently remembered), sometimes with light twitching, fluttering eyelids, etc.; common in petit mal epilepsy

  Familiarity information: ABSENCE SEIZURE used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ABSENCE SEIZURE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The occurrence of an abrupt, transient loss or impairment of consciousness (which is not subsequently remembered), sometimes with light twitching, fluttering eyelids, etc.; common in petit mal epilepsy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting stable states of affairs

Synonyms:

absence; absence seizure

Hypernyms ("absence seizure" is a kind of...):

ictus; raptus; seizure (a sudden occurrence (or recurrence) of a disease)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "absence seizure"):

complex absence (an absence seizure accompanied by other abnormalities (atonia or automatisms or vasomotor changes))

pure absence; simple absence (an absence seizure without other complications; followed by 3-per-sec brainwave spikes)

subclinical absence (a transient impairment of cortical function demonstrable only by 3-per-second brainwave spikes)

Holonyms ("absence seizure" is a part of...):

epilepsia minor; petit mal; petit mal epilepsy (epilepsy characterized by paroxysmal attacks of brief clouding of consciousness (and possibly other abnormalities))

 Context examples 

Juvenile absence epilepsy is characterized by the juvenile onset of absence seizures and an increased incidence of myoclonus and tonic-clonic seizures.

(Petit Mal Epilepsy, NLM, Medical Subject Headings)

The epileptic episodes may be tonic, atonic, myoclonic, or absence seizures.

(Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, NCI Thesaurus)

An epilepsy characterized by myoclonic jerks, generalized tonic-clonic seizures, and sometimes absence seizures.

(Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy, NCI Thesaurus)

A synthetic benzodiazepine derivative used for myotonic or atonic seizures, absence seizures, and photosensitive epilepsy, anticonvulsant Clonazepam appears to enhance gamma-aminobutyric acid receptor responses, although its mechanism of action is not clearly understood.

(Clonazepam, NCI Thesaurus)