title: 'Phantom' typical absences, absence status and experiential phenomena.
abstract: We present a case of mild typical absences (phantom absences) culminating in absence status and generalized tonic-clonic seizures. The patient has recorded his experience during an episode of absence status and provides a rare insight into a mind temporarily clouded by whirling thoughts and muffled responses. This case is important as it demonstrates the pitfalls which may hinder the diagnosis of this unusual condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Neurophysiology and Epilepsy, St Thomas's Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Ferner
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Panayiotopoulos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology; D003244:Consciousness Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004832:Epilepsy, Absence / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D017029:Epilepsy, Complex Partial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D004830:Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012803:Sick Role; D013226:Status Epilepticus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology