Epilepsy Glossary of Terms

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Abnormal: Outside the expected norm, or uncharacteristic of a particular patient.

Anticonvulsant: A medication used to control (prevent) seizures (convulsions) or stop an o...

Arms: An appendage in anatomy and in clinical trials. See: Arm.

Blood sugar: Blood glucose. See also: High blood sugar; Low blood sugar.

Brain: The portion of the central nervous system that is located within the skull. It func...

Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through ...

Cortex: The outer layer of any organ.

Cure: 1. To heal, to make well, to restore to good health. 2. A time withou...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

EEG: Electroencephalogram.

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

Epilepsy (seizure disorder): When nerve cells in the brain fire electrical impulses...

Family history: The family structure and relationships within the family, including inform...

Focal: Pertaining to a focus which in medicine may refer to:
1. The point at ...

Focal seizure: See: Partial seizure.

Grand mal: A form of epilepsy characterized by tonic-clonic seizures. involving two phases...

Hemorrhage: Bleeding or the abnormal flow of blood.

Hypoglycemia: Low blood sugar (glucose). Hypoglycemia may be associated with symptoms such...

Idiopathic: Of unknown cause. Any disease that is of uncertain or unknown origin may be te...

Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures, and for preparing chemicals a...

Low blood sugar: A low blood level of the sugar glucose. Also called hypoglycemia.

Medical history: 1. In clinical medicine, the patient's past and present which may ...

Metabolic: Relating to metabolism, the whole range of biochemical processes that occur wit...

Motor: Something that produces or refers to motion. For example, a motor neuron is a nerve...

Mouth: 1. The upper opening of the digestive tract, beginning with the lips and con...

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging.

Muscular: Having to do with the muscles. Also, endowed with above average muscle developme...

Nerve: A bundle of fibers that uses electrical and chemical signals to transmit sensory an...

Neurological: Having to do with the nerves or the nervous system as, for example, a neurol...

Neurology: The medical specialty concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of disorders o...

NIH: National Institutes of Health.

Nurse: 1) A person trained, licensed, or skilled in nursing. 2) To feed an infant at the ...

Partial seizure: A seizure that affects only one part of the brain. Symptoms depend on whi...

Pediatric: Pertaining to children.

Petit mal: A form of epilepsy with very brief, unannounced lapses in consciousness. A peti...

Pharmacy: A location where prescription medications are sold. A pharmacy is constantly sup...

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Progressive: Increasing in scope or severity, advancing, or going forward. For example, a ...

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

Reflex: An involuntary reaction. For example, the corneal reflex is the blink that occurs ...

Seizure: Uncontrolled electrical activity in the brain, which may produce a physical conv...

Sensory: Relating to sensation, to the perception of a stimulus, to the voyage made by inc...

Sleep: The body's rest cycle.

Sodium: The major positive ion (cation) in the fluid surrounding cells in the body. The ch...

Stress: In a medical or biological context stress is a physical, mental, or emotional fact...

Stroke: The sudden death of brain cells due to lack of oxygen, caused by blockage of blood...

Symptomatic: 1 With symptoms, as a symptomatic infection. 2 Characteristic o...

Tongue: A strong muscle that is anchored to the floor of the mouth. The tongue is covered ...

Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be ...

Unconscious: 1. Interruption of awareness of oneself and one's surroundings, lack ...

Urine: Liquid waste produced by the kidneys. Urine is a clear, transparent fluid that norm...