Grand Mal Epilepsy: A generalized seizure disorder characterized by recurrent major motor seizures. The initial brief tonic phase is marked by trunk flexion followed by diffuse extension of the trunk and extremities. The clonic phase features rhythmic flexor contractions of the trunk and limbs, pupillary dilation, elevations of blood pressure and pulse, urinary incontinence, and tongue biting. This is followed by a profound state of depressed consciousness (post-ictal state) which gradually improves over minutes to hours. The disorder may be cryptogenic, familial, or symptomatic (caused by an identified disease process). (From Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p329)

Synonym: tonic-clonic, symptomatic epilepsy, tonic-clonic, familial epilepsy, tonic-clonic, cryptogenic epilepsy, tonic-clonic seizure disorder, tonic-clonic epilepsy, tonic-clonic convulsion syndrome, tonic-clonic convulsion disorder, tonic clonic convulsions, tonic clonic convulsion, symptomatic tonic-clonic epilepsy, major motor seizure disorder, major epilepsy, grand mal seizure disorder, grand mal convulsion, familial tonic-clonic epilepsy, crytogenic tonic-clonic epilepsy, tonic-clonic seizure syndrome.

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