Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

epilepsy, juvenile myoclonic
A form of epilepsy
that occurs in young people, most commonly in the
teenage years. It is characterized by jerking
(myoclonic) movements of the arms and upper torso,
without loss of consciousness. Seizures are most likely
to occur when a person is awakening from sleep.
Many children with this disorder are sensitive to light
(photosensitive) and may have myoclonic jerks or
seizures when exposed to bright light. Diagnosis is
made through observation and EEG. During a
myoclonic seizure, polyspike-wave discharges occur
over a normal EEG background. Juvenile myoclonic
epilepsy appears to be an inheritable genetic disorder,
with the gene located on chromosome 6. Treatment is
with antiseizure medications.
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epilepsy, Landau-Kleffner
See 
Landau-
Kleffner syndrome.
epilepsy, partial
Epilepsy characterized by
seizures that affects only one part of the brain.
Symptoms depend on which part of the brain is
affected. One part of the body, or multiple parts on
one side of the body, may start to twitch uncontrol-
lably. Partial seizures may involve head turning, eye
movements, lip smacking, mouth movements,
drooling, rhythmic muscle contractions in a part of
the body, apparently purposeful movements, abnor-
mal numbness, tingling, and a crawling sensation
over the skin. Partial seizures can also include sen-
sory disturbances, such as smelling or hearing
things that are not there, or having a sudden flood
of emotions. Although the patient may feel confused,
consciousness is not lost. Also known as focal
seizures and local seizures. See also 
seizure;
seizure disorder; seizure, partial.