interictallybetween

Interictallybetween is a portmanteau that has appeared in informal discussions to describe the time that exists between ictal events (seizures) in epilepsy. It is not an established term in clinical neurology and does not appear in standard medical dictionaries or major literature.

Definition and scope: The phrase aims to emphasize the interval between seizures, commonly referred to as the interictal period. In clinical practice, this interval can vary in duration and may include a range of subtle phenomena. Most of the time, a patient is not experiencing a seizure during the interictal period, but they may have prodromal symptoms, auras, or mild EEG abnormalities that occur outside the ictal event.

Clinical and research relevance: In epilepsy research, the interictal period is important for studying biomarkers such as interictal epileptiform discharges and functional connectivity. Some discussions use interictallybetween to highlight transitional states near an ictal onset or to refer to fluctuations within the interictal interval. However, this usage is informal and not standardized, which can lead to ambiguity in communication.

Usage guidance: To minimize confusion, medical writers are advised to use established terminology such as interictal period or interictal interval, and to define any neologisms clearly when they appear in patient education materials or nonformal writing.

See also: Interictal period, Ictal, Postictal, Seizure cycle, Epilepsy.