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preictal
Pronunciation: pre-IK-tal
The period preceding a seizure, often marked by subtle behavioral or electrographic changes.
Full Definition
Preictal describes the time period immediately before seizure onset, which may include prodromal symptoms such as mood changes, sensory auras, or subtle behavioral alterations. Electrographically, preictal changes can include increased interictal discharges or subtle frequency shifts that may be detected through sophisticated analysis. This period is of particular interest in seizure prediction research and can provide valuable localizing information for epilepsy surgery evaluation.
Usage
Usage note: One word, not hyphenated; refers to the immediate pre-seizure state.
In Context
- "Preictal anxiety and déjà vu consistently preceded the patient's temporal lobe seizures." — Epilepsy monitoring unit evaluation
- "Advanced algorithms detected preictal changes 15 minutes before clinical seizure onset." — Seizure prediction research study
Also known as
pre-seizure period
prodromal phase
Contrasted with
postictal
interictal
Don't confuse with
ictal
prodromal