The three major groups of seizures are:
- Generalized onset seizures : These seizures affect both sides of the brain simultaneously. Examples include tonic-clonic, absence, and atonic seizures.
- Focal onset seizures : These seizures begin in one specific area or part of one side of the brain. They are further divided based on awareness:
- Focal onset aware seizures (person is awake and aware)
- Focal onset impaired awareness seizures (awareness is affected)
- Unknown onset seizures : These seizures are classified as unknown onset when the starting point in the brain is not known or not observed, such as seizures occurring during sleep or without witnesses.
This classification helps guide diagnosis and treatment, as seizure types depend on where and how they begin in the brain.
