The assessment of consciousness during partial seizures

A wide range of controversial definitions and dynamic components surround the multi-dimensional concept of consciousness, with important reflections on the phenomenological description of ictal states relevant to epileptic seizures. The inadequacies of terminology, the insufficient emphasis on the subjective nature of consciousness, as well as the intrinsic limitations of the simple versus complex dichotomy for partial seizures, are to be considered in view of a modern definition of consciousness. In this paper, we review the difficulties encountered by clinicians in assessing the ictal conscious state in patients with epilepsy, and illustrate how a more sophisticated bi-dimensional model of consciousness can prove a valuable conceptual tool for the clinical assessment of ictal consciousness and the categorization of seizures.

► The multi-dimensional concept of consciousness is central to epileptology.
► The assessment of the ictal conscious state poses a number of problems.
► The bi-dimensional model encompasses both the level and contents of consciousness.
► This model can help to assess ictal consciousness and categorize seizures.