What are the 12 types of epilepsy?
John Castro
Published Jan 23, 2026
The different types of generalized seizures are:
- absence seizures (formerly known as petit mal)
- tonic-clonic or convulsive seizures (formerly known as grand mal)
- atonic seizures (also known as drop attacks)
- clonic seizures.
- tonic seizures.
- myoclonic seizures.
What are the 12 types of seizures?
There are many kinds of generalized seizures, including:
- generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTC)
- tonic seizures.
- clonic seizures.
- absence seizures.
- myoclonic seizures.
- atonic seizures.
- infantile or epileptic spasms.
What is the most common epilepsy type?
Temporal lobe seizures, a category of focal seizures, are the most common type of epilepsy. The temporal lobe is located beneath the temples, on either side of the head. It is responsible for memory, emotions, interpreting sound, and understanding language.How many different types of epilepsy are there?
There are four types of epilepsies. Each type includes different types of seizures, which cause different symptoms and have different onset (begin in different parts of the brain).What is the most severe epilepsy?
A grand mal seizure causes a loss of consciousness and violent muscle contractions. It's the type of seizure most people picture when they think about seizures. A grand mal seizure — also known as a generalized tonic-clonic seizure — is caused by abnormal electrical activity throughout the brain.Epilepsy: Types of seizures, Symptoms, Pathophysiology, Causes and Treatments, Animation.
What is the rarest type of epilepsy?
What is Dravet syndrome? Dravet syndrome is a rare, genetic epileptic encephalopathy that gives rise to seizures that don't respond well to seizure medications. It begins in the first year of life in an otherwise healthy infant.What triggers epilepsy?
Epilepsy may be treated with medication, and occasionally with diet therapy, nerve stimulation or surgery.
- Infantile Spasms (West Syndrome) ...
- Doose Syndrome (Myoclonic Astatic Epilepsy of Childhood) ...
- Benign Rolandic Epilepsy (BRE) ...
- Rasmussen Syndrome. ...
- Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. ...
- Electrical Status Epilepticus of Sleep (ESES)