The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 7 letter word PARESIS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
P
A
R
E
S
I
S
More clues leading to the result PARESIS
Buddy explains!

The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does PARESIS mean?
PARESIS noun- A paralysis which is incomplete or which occurs in isolated areas.
- Inflammation of the brain as a cause of dementia or paralysis.