No response to acoustic stimuli: absence or akinetic seizure?

Absence seizures are defined by a loss of consciousness during generalized spike-wave discharges (SWCs). We describe a patient who did not respond to acoustic stimuli during generalized SWCs, but who had full recall of any test word given during the SWCs. Our patient's inability to move illustrates that the clinical features during generalized SWCs need to be tested differentially. This pertains especially to studies that evaluate the pathophysiological correlates during SWCs.