Definition
Absence (petit mal) seizures are a group of epileptic syndromes typically starting in childhood or adolescence and characterized by a sudden brief lack of attention (indicated by a stare or cessation of behavior) and mild automatic movements (fluttering of eyelids or facial twitches) for some seconds to minutes. The electroencephalogram shows typical three-per-second spikes and waves. Absence epilepsies are generalized, i.e. the whole neocortex shifts into a state of sleep-like oscillations.
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© 2008 Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg
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(2008). Absence Epilepsy. In: Binder, M.D., Hirokawa, N., Windhorst, U. (eds) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_12
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_12
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Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-23735-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29678-2
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