Partial seizures in epilepsy

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In these type of seizures the burst of electrical activity starts in, and stays in, one part of the brain. Therefore, you tend to have localised or 'focal' symptoms. Different parts of the brain control different functions and so symptoms depend on which part of the brain is affected.

Simple partial seizures are one type. You may have muscular jerks or strange sensations in one arm or leg. You may develop an odd taste, or pins and needles in one part of your body. You do not lose consciousness or awareness.
Complex partial seizures are another type. These commonly arise from a temporal lobe (a part of the brain) but may start in any part of the brain. Therefore, this type is sometimes called 'temporal lobe epilepsy'. Depending on the part of the brain affected, you may behave strangely for a few seconds or minutes. For example, you may fiddle with an object, or mumble, or wander aimlessly. In addition, you may have odd emotions, fears, feelings, visions, or sensations. These differ from simple partial seizures in that your consciousness is affected. You may not remember having a seizure.

Sometimes a partial seizure develops into a generalised seizure. This is called a secondary generalised seizure.