What symptom is NOT characteristic of a complex partial seizure?

Complex partial seizures, now often referred to as focal onset impaired awareness seizures, typically present with specific symptoms relating to alterations in consciousness and behavior. One of the hallmarks is altered mental status, where the individual may seem dazed, confused, or unresponsive. During these seizures, the person's ability to interact with their environment is often impaired, leading to a failure to engage normally.

In addition to these characteristics, patients may exhibit automatisms, which can include behaviors like lip smacking and eye blinking. These repetitive, involuntary actions are common during the seizure and reflect the engagement of certain brain regions responsible for motor control.

Uncontrolled extremity twitching, on the other hand, is more characteristic of generalized seizures or simple partial seizures where motor function is affected without impaired awareness. In complex partial seizures, the movements are typically more subtle and involve automisms rather than significant twitching of limbs. This is why uncontrolled extremity twitching is not a symptom associated with complex partial seizures.