A seizure is a transient occurrence of symptoms and/or signs due to abnormal excessive or synchronous neuronal activity in the brain. In EpilepsyDiagnosis.Org, the term 'features' will be used to describe both the symptoms and signs that occur during seizures. These features can be used to classify seizures. A seizure does not necessarily mean that a person has epilepsy, unless the criteria for diagnosis of epilepsy are met. As there are a number of conditions that can be associated with paroxysmal events that can mimic seizures/epilepsy, described in the section 'epilepsy imitators' in EpilepsyDiagnosis.Org, these should be carefully excluded.
Epileptic seizures fall broadly into the following types: