What is a "complex partial" seizure?

What is a "complex partial" seizure?

Charles Ribak, Ph.D. (Professor of Anatomy and Neurobiology, UC Irvine School of Medicine) gives expert video advice on: What triggers a complex partial seizure?; What are the dangers of complex partial seizures?; What do I do if I see someone having a complex partial seizure? and more...

The complex partial seizures are a lot different than the simple partial seizures. The complex really arise principally in temporal lobe structures, but they're different in that the person is actually unconscious. Now, these complex partials may just be a loss of consciousness or they could also generalize and become a generalized type of seizure.