What will you do if one of your hand suddenly develop a mind of it own? How would it feel like if you just can't control your hand in as much as you want? You watch your hand do things you never really want it to do and you can't stop it from doing those things because it feels like the hand doesn't belongs to you so, controlling it is totally impossible. Now, that's just the precised description of alien hand syndrome
MEDICAL DEFINITION OF ALIEN HAND SYNDROME(AHS)
Alien hand syndrome (AHS) is a rare neurological condition in which a person's limbs act Or perform task on their own without the person control over the actions. Sometimes one leg is affected but the probability of it affecting one leg is low. The affected victims may sometimes reach for objects they never really wanted to touch.
The online medical dictionary also define Alien hand syndrome as a situation in which there is awkward asymmetrical involuntary movement of the hand or limb, which is interpreted by internal sensors as ‘alien’; the patient’s limb moves on its own volition. During the episodes, the affected hand feels foreign to it's owner and deliberately move to perform task unintended by the owner. Alien hand syndrome is also referred to as Dr. Strangelove syndrome or Strangelovian hand. Dr strangelove was One of the characters in Stanley Kubrick’s 1964 film. In the screeplay, Dr. Strangelove has alien hand syndrome. Because of this, some people refer to alien hand syndrome as Dr. Strangelove syndrome.
Alien hand syndrome was first recorded in 1909 and it usually affects the left or nondominant hand.
FACTORS THAT CAN CAUSE ALIEN HAND SYNDROME
The most common factor that causes aliens hand syndrome has to do with interruption in the normal functions of the brain.
- AHS can occur If the premotor cortex controlling movement of the hand becomes isolated from the influences of the primary motor cortex but remains generally intact in its ability to execute movements of the hand.
- AHS may also occur if there is a surgery that involves separation of the two hemispheres of the brain and which may also involve an incision along the corpus callosum. Sometimes Surgeries done to treat epilepsy can affect the brain in this way.
- Brain scans have it that damages or lesions have also been found in the anterior cingulate cortex, posterior parietal cortex and supplementary motor cortex areas of the brain in those people with the syndrome and This can lead to isolated activities in the contralateral primary motor area thereby causing spontaneous movements.
- Study shows that some people develop alien hand syndrome after a stroke. It is also associated with trauma, tumor or cancer.
SYMPTOMS OF ALIEN HAND SYNDROME
The symptoms of Alien Hand Syndrome include
- The affected hand does an action which the patient is totally unaware of
- The patient only becomes aware of the situation when it is brought to the notice of the patient
- The patient might start having feelings that the affected hand has been possessed by a demon or an alien.
- the patient might start having feelings that the hand belongs to someone else
- inability of the patient to control the affected hand.
- The alien hand is uncooperative and may perform incorrect actions or fail to follow commands.
- The affected hand may also engage in self-oppositional actions such as buttoning a shirt the other hand has already unbuttoned.
HOW CAN IT BE TREATED?
Presently, there is no cure for alien hand syndrome. However some scientists are working on treatments to reduce symptoms
The condition can be managed using muscle control therapies such as neuromuscular blocking agents and botox (botulinum toxin).
in some cases, Benzodiazepines have been successful
Mirror box therapy, Visuospatial coaching techniques, learning task behavioral therapies and cognitive therapy techniques can sometimes help in managing symptoms.
Thanks for dropping by