APA Dictionary of Psychology

a partial seizure that is characterized by complex psychological symptoms, repetitive motor activities, and specific sensory experiences. During the seizure the individual is in an impaired or altered, often trancelike, state of consciousness, typically accompanied by false memories (e.g. déjà vu), and may experience such emotions as fear, anxiety, or (less commonly) sadness or pleasure. Stereotyped motor behavior includes grimacing, sucking, chewing, and swallowing, and there may also be visual or olfactory hallucinations. Complex partial seizures are most commonly associated with abnormal discharges from neurons in the temporal lobe. Also called psychomotor seizure.