Alien hand syndrome is a phenomenon in which a person loses control of the hand, and it acts as if it has a mind of its own.
Alien hand syndrome, or Dr. Strangelove syndrome, is an interesting situation in which a person loses control of his or her hand, which starts to act independently. It describes involuntary complex goal-directed activity of one limb. It basically requires the person to have evident unintentional motor activity along with the sense that the limb is foreign or that it is acting on its own. Nonspecific involuntary muscular contractions (eg, clonus, tremor) are, therefore excluded.
What is the pathology behind alien hand syndrome?
The syndrome has been reported after surgery on the corpus callosum and with brain tumors, aneurysms, degenerative diseases of the brain, and uncommonly stroke. Alien hand as a manifestation of cardioembolic stroke is extremely rare.
What are the types of alien hand syndrome ?
- Diagnostic dyspraxia/intermanual conflict- when one hand performs actions contrary to the other hand.
- Alien hand sign (a subjective feeling that the hand is not one’s own).
- Syndrome of anarchic hand (when the affected hand performs goal-directed activity not under the will of the person).
- Supernumerary hand (a feeling of having an extra limb).
- Levitating hand- affected limb tends to levitate without volitional action.
What are the Symptoms of alien hand syndrome ?
Alien hand might either manifest as a self-groping behavior or self-oppositional behavior. The person might slap the alien hand with the other normal hand, in order to control it. The person loses control of the affected hand as if it is being controlled by an external force. The alien hand might grasp onto random things and the person may need to use the other limb to release the held objects from it.
What you need to do if you think you have alien hand syndrome ?
The first step in following up on symptoms is contacting your regular primary care physician.
In many cases, the doctor refers the patient to specialists such as a neurologist who specializes in diseases of the brain and nervous system.
What is the treatment of alien hand syndrome ?
There is no established treatment for alien hand. It has been reported to last for several days to several years.
Disclaimer: The content provided here is meant for general informational purposes only and hence SHOULD NOT be relied upon as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, care or evaluation by a qualified doctor/physician or other relevantly qualified healthcare provider.
