Partial Epilepsy: Partial seizure, unlike other types of seizure disorders, affects only one part of the brain. This also goes by the name of localized or focal seizure. You would better understand the pathology of this condition if you first get to know a brief background on the anatomy of the different hemispheres of the brain. The brain actually consists of two hemispheres, the left and the right. Each hemisphere comprises four lobes which are the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital lobes, respectively.

Individuals with focal seizure would oftentimes have seizure activity in one region of the brain. It could either be on the entire hemisphere or just localized on a specific lobe. This could also be the reason why partial epilepsy may have different manifestations. The clinical presentation of partial epilepsy would oftentimes depend on which part of the brain the seizure activity originates. For instance, a seizure activity coming from the posterior lobe would oftentimes trigger a wave-like sensation over the head and a feeling of nostalgia or déjà vu when this comes from the temporal lobe. A numbing or tingling sensation can also be felt when the seizure activity is localized in the parietal lobe and visual hallucinations are likely to be noted when the seizure’s origin is within the occipital lobe. There are actually two types of partial seizure: a simple one and a complex one. In a simple partial seizure, the person may stay conscious; whereas, consciousness may be totally lost in a complex one. A simple partial seizure is an indicative of an impending complex partial seizure and is oftentimes referred to as the aura.