Diseases

Tonic-Clonic 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)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

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)

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

74 entry terms
  • Convulsions, Grand Mal
  • Epilepsy, Grand Mal
  • Epilepsy, Major
  • Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic
  • Grand Mal Seizure Disorder
  • Major Motor Seizure Disorder
  • Seizure Disorder, Grand Mal
  • Seizure Disorder, Major Motor
  • Seizure Disorder, Tonic Clonic
  • Tonic Clonic Convulsions
  • Tonic-Clonic Convulsion Disorder
  • Tonic-Clonic Convulsion Syndrome
  • Tonic-Clonic Seizure Disorder
  • Tonic-Clonic Seizure Syndrome
  • Convulsion Disorder, Tonic-Clonic
  • Convulsion Disorders, Tonic-Clonic
  • Convulsion Syndrome, Tonic-Clonic
  • Convulsion Syndromes, Tonic-Clonic
  • Convulsion, Grand Mal
  • Convulsion, Tonic Clonic
  • Convulsions, Tonic Clonic
  • Disorder, Tonic-Clonic Convulsion
  • Disorder, Tonic-Clonic Seizure
  • Disorders, Tonic-Clonic Convulsion
  • Disorders, Tonic-Clonic Seizure
  • Epilepsies, Tonic-Clonic
  • Epilepsy, Tonic Clonic
  • Grand Mal Convulsion
  • Grand Mal Convulsions
  • Grand Mal Epilepsy
  • Major Epilepsies
  • Major Epilepsy
  • Seizure Disorder, Tonic-Clonic
  • Seizure Disorders, Tonic-Clonic
  • Seizure Syndrome, Tonic-Clonic
  • Seizure Syndromes, Tonic-Clonic
  • Syndrome, Tonic-Clonic Convulsion
  • Syndrome, Tonic-Clonic Seizure
  • Syndromes, Tonic-Clonic Convulsion
  • Syndromes, Tonic-Clonic Seizure
  • Tonic Clonic Convulsion
  • Tonic Clonic Convulsion Disorder
  • Tonic Clonic Convulsion Syndrome
  • Tonic Clonic Seizure Disorder
  • Tonic Clonic Seizure Syndrome
  • Tonic-Clonic Convulsion Disorders
  • Tonic-Clonic Convulsion Syndromes
  • Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies
  • Tonic-Clonic Seizure Disorders
  • Tonic-Clonic Seizure Syndromes
  • Cryptogenic Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy
  • Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic, Cryptogenic
  • Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic, Familial
  • Epilepsy, Tonic-Clonic, Symptomatic
  • Familial Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy
  • Symptomatic Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy
  • Cryptogenic Tonic Clonic Epilepsy
  • Cryptogenic Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies
  • Epilepsies, Cryptogenic Tonic-Clonic
  • Epilepsies, Familial Tonic-Clonic
  • Epilepsies, Symptomatic Tonic-Clonic
  • Epilepsy, Cryptogenic Tonic-Clonic
  • Epilepsy, Familial Tonic-Clonic
  • Epilepsy, Symptomatic Tonic-Clonic
  • Familial Tonic Clonic Epilepsy
  • Familial Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies
  • Symptomatic Tonic Clonic Epilepsy
  • Symptomatic Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies
  • Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies, Cryptogenic
  • Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies, Familial
  • Tonic-Clonic Epilepsies, Symptomatic
  • Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy, Cryptogenic
  • Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy, Familial
  • Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy, Symptomatic

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

Indexing Annotation

do not confuse with EPILEPSY, TONIC see EPILEPSY, GENERALIZED

MeSH Record

History Note

1992(1963)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Number

  1. C10w.228w.140w.490w.375w.290w

MeSH Record

NLM Classification

WL 385

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D004830. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D004830
  2. Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generalized_tonic%E2%80%93clonic_seizure
  3. Tonic-Clonic Epilepsy. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1406803