2020 Nov 21. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan–.
ABSTRACT
Absence seizures are brief seizures characterized by a behavioral arrest that correlates with generalized 3-Hertz spike-and-wave discharges on electroencephalogram (EEG). Absence seizures occur in multiple genetic generalized epilepsies including childhood absence epilepsy (CAE), juvenile absence epilepsy (JAE), and juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME). Atypical absence seizures have been reported in up to 60% of patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Historically, absence epilepsy was known as “pyknolepsy.” This term originates from the Greek term pyknos, which means “very frequent” or “grouped”. The term “petit mal” seizure was once used to describe an absence seizure in the past, but it is no longer encouraged.
The International League Against Epilepsy Classification of 2017 defines absence seizures as “generalized non-motor seizures”. However, this term is not entirely precise, because, as discussed below, motor manifestations of absence epilepsy are frequently seen .
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