Alien Hand Syndrome - Bizarre Condition Explained - Mental Health Documentary

Описание: 00:00 - 00:38 - What Is It?
00:38 - 1:56 - History
1:57 - 5:25 - How Does It Affect People?
5:26 - 6:01 - What Causes It?
6:01 - 6:10 - How Common Is It?
6:11 - 7:19 - Treatment

Alien Hand Syndrome - The Bizarre Condition Explained

Alien limb syndrome also known as alien hand syndrome is a rare neurological condition in which a person’s limb acts on its own, doing its own thing without the person having any conscious control over it. Anyone who has seen Dr Strangelove will know exactly what it looks like, but all sorts of movements can occur. People can be affected in different ways, depending on which part of the brain has been damaged but an affected hand often starts to "live a life of its own" - gripping things and not letting go, unbuttoning clothes and doing the opposite of the other hand. In one case an alien hand tried to choke a woman as she was going off to sleep and in another it pinched a woman’s nipples.

There is no cure for it, but there are a number of treatments that can improve symptoms and quality of life. These include medication including botulinum toxin to paralyse muscles on the affected limb, visuospatial coaching techniques such as mirror box or trying to distract the affected hand by giving it another task to do, for example holding a walking stick. Other techniques that have been found to work include putting a glove on, giving it verbal commands, putting it in warm water, wedging it between the legs or when all else fails, slapping it.

References:
Akelaitis AJ. (1945) Studies on the corpus callosum IV. Diagonistic dyspraxia in epileptics following partial and complete section of the corpus callosum. Am J Psychiatry. 101:494–9.

Brion, S., and Jedynak, C. P. (1972). Troubles du transfert interhémisphérique (callosal disconnection). A propos de trois observations de tumeurs du corps calleux. Le signe de la main étrangére. Rev Neurol (Paris), 126(4), 257-266.

Goldstein K.(1908) Zur Lehre von der motorischen Apraxie. J Psychol Neurol. 11:169–87.

Hassan, A., and Josephs, K. A. (2016). Alien hand syndrome. Current neurology and neuroscience reports, 16, 1-10.

Sarva, H., Deik, A., and Severt, W. L. (2014). Pathophysiology and treatment of alien hand syndrome. Tremor and Other Hyperkinetic Movements, 4.

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Video produced by Graeme Yorston and Tom Yorston.