Reflex Seizures: The Classification Axis

According to Nobel Prize laureate Ivan Pavlov, any interaction with the environment, including cognition, is reflex in nature. Seizures that are consistently triggered by a specific and defined stimulus are considered reflex, and syndromes with predominantly reflex events are termed reflex epilepsies. A myriad reflex epilepsy, reflex seizure, and corresponding trigger types have been described. Nevertheless, no unified nomenclature and classification for these entities currently exists. In this review, we attempt analyzing and classifying reflex seizures from elementary to sophisticated along the trigger complexity axis: (1) somatosensory-induced; (2) vision-induced; (3) audition-induced; (4) eating-induced; (5) water-induced; (6) reading-induced; (7) thinking-induced; (8) praxis-induced; (9) induced by other stimuli. We recognize that the presented classification system is still prone to subjectivity and highlight the need for developing a unified reflex seizure nomenclature, which necessitates further studies. Graphical Table of Contents