During which type of seizure might a patient experience déjà vu?

A complex partial seizure is often associated with phenomena such as déjà vu, which is a sensation that one has experienced a current situation before. This type of seizure originates in the temporal lobe of the brain and can lead to altered awareness or consciousness. During a complex partial seizure, patients may have automatic behaviors, experience alterations in their perception of reality, and recall vivid memories or sensations, including déjà vu.

In contrast, absence seizures are characterized by brief lapses in consciousness without the same feeling of familiarity associated with déjà vu. Tonic seizures involve muscle stiffness and do not typically involve experiential phenomena like déjà vu. Myoclonic seizures consist of sudden, brief muscle jerks and again do not include this specific cognitive experience. Therefore, the association of déjà vu during a complex partial seizure highlights its unique presentation involving altered states of awareness.