We've all heard of what's known as alien hand syndrome, where the patient feels unable to control his hand, as if someone else is controlling it instead of him, while the rest of the body remains under his control. This condition can lead to many problems for the patient. Although this syndrome is considered rare and some may see it as something funny, patients with alien hand syndrome face multiple challenges, the most prominent of which is their inability to control their hand completely or partially. This hand may perform unwanted actions, prompting the person to search for a psychiatrist online or visit a psychologist urgently. In the following lines, we will cover all Dalili Medical to this syndrome.

**What is alien hand syndrome?**

 

Alien hand syndrome is known as a rare medical condition that causes the patient to lose the ability to control one of his hands. This syndrome was not recognized until 1908, which means that it was unknown for about 116 years. In some cases, this syndrome may lead to inappropriate or unnecessary movements, and these movements may sometimes be dangerous.

**Types of Alien Hand Syndrome**

 

Alien hand syndrome is a type of alien limb syndrome, but it is a broader term that includes similar conditions that also occur in the legs. So far, all cases have been reported in only one limb at a time. There are three main categories of alien hand syndrome based on the part of the brain that causes the condition, which are:

1. **Frontal lobe category**: This is the only category that has been reported and affects the right hand.

2. **Corpus callosum category**: Includes the corpus callosum region of the brain.

3. **Posterior category**: Includes the parietal lobe.

**Facts about Alien Hand Syndrome**

Here are some facts about Alien Hand Syndrome:

- It was first documented in 1909.

- This syndrome usually affects the left or less commonly used hand.

- The alien hand may cause the affected person to hurt themselves, making it harmful to them.

- Alien hand syndrome is most often seen in adults, but it can also affect children.

What are the symptoms of Alien Hand Syndrome?

 

The most prominent symptom of alien hand syndrome is the inability to control the affected hand normally. It is important to note that this disability is not due to weakness in the hand, but rather the hand remains strong as it is, but it moves involuntarily and without the person's awareness. These movements must be distinguished from spasms, as the movements here are coordinated, such as picking up objects, touching the face, or putting on and changing clothes.

**Brain areas affected by alien hand syndrome**

 

Alien hand syndrome affects one of three areas of the brain, as shown below:

1. **The frontal area**: When the syndrome affects this area, the person realizes that the hand belongs to him, but he has difficulty controlling its movements, as it seems to move independently of his will.

2. **The callosal area**: In some cases, the syndrome affects the callosal area, leading to an involuntary motor coordination disorder. In this case, the person may want to pick up something with his hand, but the other hand does it instead.

3. **Posterior area**: If the syndrome affects the posterior area of ​​the brain, the person may not recognize their hand as their own, making it seem like it is foreign to them. Sometimes, this may be accompanied by poor motor control as well.

**Causes of Alien Hand Syndrome**

Alien hand syndrome is caused by several factors, including:

. **Brain injuries**: The syndrome may occur after a stroke, brain trauma, or a tumor, as it is sometimes associated with cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as aneurysms in the brain.

. **Surgeries**: Alien hand syndrome can be associated with brain surgeries that separate the two halves, such as the incision made along the corpus callosum, which is a group of nerve fibers located under the cortex in the longitudinal fissure of the brain, where the corpus callosum divides the two cerebral hemispheres and allows communication between them.

. **Epilepsy surgery**: Surgical procedures to treat epilepsy may affect the brain and lead to the appearance of alien hand syndrome.

. **Brain lesions**: Brain lesions can be caused by a number of things, including stroke, blood vessel injury, or reduced blood supply to the brain. These lesions can be found in the anterior cingulate cortex, the posterior parietal cortex, and the supplementary motor cortex. Alien hand syndrome is thought to be caused by lesions or damage to the parietal cortex, which affects motor planning systems.

**Stroke**: When a stroke occurs, a person may experience alien hand syndrome, which rarely affects the back of the brain. This occurs as a result of damage caused by the interruption of blood flow, including oxygen.

**Brain surgery**: Some brain-related health problems require specialized medical surgery. Alien hand syndrome symptoms may appear as a side effect of this surgery, according to WebMD.

**Neurodegenerative diseases**: Neurodegenerative diseases are the main causes of alien hand syndrome, including Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, which affect movement, breathing, and balance, in addition to heart function.

**Midline Tumor:** A midline tumor begins in the spinal cord or brain and can sometimes cause weakness on one side of the body, while it can cause weakness on both sides, making it a possible cause of alien hand syndrome in some cases.

**Aneurysm**: A person can develop an aneurysm when a certain area of ​​the wall of an artery weakens. This aneurysm can be present from birth and isOne possible cause of alien hand syndrome.

**Corpus callosum damage**: Sometimes the brain is exposed to traumatic injuries that lead to damage to the corpus callosum area, resulting in a group of complications and symptoms, including alien hand syndrome.

**Symptoms of alien hand syndrome**

**Loss of hand sensation:** Loss of hand sensation is one of the most prominent signs of alien hand syndrome. In some cases, the person may feel that their hand is completely absent, and may not realize that it belongs to them.

**Involuntary grasping:** Involuntary grasping of any object indicates alien hand syndrome, which affects the frontal region of the brain.

**Involuntary sensing:** Sometimes, people with this syndrome notice involuntary sensing of other parts of the body or clothing, a symptom associated with activity in the frontal region.

**Difficulty letting go of objects:** After grasping objects, some people may have difficulty releasing them, which is another symptom resulting from the impact on the frontal region of the brain.

**Raising the hand in the air:** Sometimes, the arm is raised involuntarily or makes movements such as waving, which is a common symptom of alien hand syndrome that affects the posterior region of the brain.

**Psychological disturbance:** The posterior region type of the syndrome may not directly affect the psychological state of the sufferer, but there can be psychological effects associated with the symptoms.

**Conflict during the execution of tasks ***: The type that affects the callosal region of the syndrome is characterized by the presence of conflict during the execution of tasks. For example, when trying to close the buttons of a shirt with the right hand, the left hand immediately cancels this action.

How is alien hand syndrome diagnosed?

 

Despite the great advances in the medical field today, diagnosing alien hand syndrome is a challenge for doctors, due to the lack of a clear psychological component associated with the condition, or any dysfunction in brain processes such as memory, emotion, and perception. Behavioral changes and psychological illnesses also occur more commonly than complaints related to spontaneous hand movement, which often leads to the exclusion of the diagnosis of alien hand syndrome.

However, doctors can use some other methods to diagnose the condition, such as:

- Observing the patient's behavior to determine the severity and frequency of symptoms.

- Performing computed tomography scans using computers.

- Using magnetic resonance imaging to detect any possible damage to the brain, such as acute infarction in the frontal lobe

**Treatment of alien hand syndrome**

So far, no definitive treatment has been discovered for alien hand syndrome, as it is a rare and complex condition. However, doctors can use some treatments to relieve symptoms and try to control alien hand behavior. These treatments include the following:

- **Muscle control treatments such as botulinum toxin**: These medications are primarily used to reduce wrinkles, but they may also help improve muscle control in the body, which can be beneficial for people with alien hand syndrome.

- **Neuromuscular blocking agents**: These injections are given intravenously or intramuscularly in some cases.

- **Benzodiazepines**: These are sedative medications used to relieve anxiety.

In addition, some behavioral therapies can be used to control behaviors, such as:

- **Mirror box**: This treatment is used for pain or disability that affects one side of the body more than the other, and is considered useful for post-amputation patients who suffer from phantom limb pain.

- **Cognitive therapy techniques and behavioral therapies**: These methods are used to help patients deal with symptoms and unwanted behaviors.

Visuospatial Coaching Techniques may contribute to enhancing the ability to control symptoms by representing, analyzing, and mentally processing objects.

In addition to the treatments provided by doctors, the affected person can play a role in reducing symptoms through the following procedures:

**Hand control**: Sometimes, the affected person can try to prevent abnormal hand behaviors by holding it between his legs or sitting on it. Some people may also prefer to hold something in the non-dominant hand to distract it and prevent it from unwanted behaviors.

**Issuing Verbal Hand Commands:** Verbal commands can help a person with alien hand syndrome curb these actions, whether the person or a companion gives them. However, this method may not be effective in the long term, so it should be used in conjunction with medication and behavioral therapies.