If a patient reports being awake and aware during a seizure, what type of seizure did they experience?

The patient being awake and aware during a seizure indicates they experienced a simple partial seizure, sometimes referred to as a focal aware seizure. In this type of seizure, the individual's consciousness remains intact, which is a defining characteristic. This means that although the person may experience abnormal movements or sensations localized to one part of their body, they are fully aware of their surroundings and can remember what occurred during the seizure.

In contrast, complex partial seizures involve a change or loss of consciousness, which would mean the patient would not be aware of what was happening during the event. Temporal lobe seizures can fall into both simple and complex categories but typically involve some level of altered awareness. Psychomotor seizures are another form of complex partial seizure where the person may exhibit automatisms and lose awareness.

Thus, the unique aspect of simple partial seizures is the preservation of awareness, making it the correct answer to the question.