Widen your knowledge about rare neurological disorder: “Alien hand syndrome”
Alien hand syndrome (AHS) is an unusual form of neurological
ailment. Alien hand syndrome is a
disorder of motor control in which there is involuntary but purposeful hand
movements that may be associated with agnosia, weakness, sensory impairment, or
weakness.
Main causes of developing this rare neurological disorder
are injury to brain, head trauma, anterior cerebral artery strokes, midline
tumours, side effect of some brain surgery and neurodegenerative diseases. Some
strange causes include spontaneous pneumocephalus, migraine aura, seizure and
Parry–Romberg Syndrome, a presumed autoimmune disorder with progressive facial
hemiatrophy. This disorder is linked with frontal, occipital and parietal lobes
of brain.
Most prominent symptom of Alien hand syndrome is lack of
hand control though affected hand retains a good strength but it freely moves
without cognitive control. Patients are unable to feel control over hands
movements. It has been observed that patients of Alien hand syndrome may
perform complicated task such as removing clothes, manipulating tools.
Medical studies have shown that patients with Alzheimer’s
and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease may show symptoms of Alien hand syndrome.
Diagnosis of AHS can be done through neuroimaging
techniques such as FMRI, FDG-PET, DTT, rCBF using SPECT.
At present, there is no proven therapy for AHS. Symptoms
can be managed through pharmacologic, physical and behavioural interventions.
Last word:
Alien hand syndrome is an outcome of neurological
impairment in person. Patients grip in this disorder have involuntary control
of arm but they are aware to perform some intricate tasks. AHS may attach
person due to some brain surgery or neurological damage. Diagnosis of this
disorder is a challenge for medical experts. It is necessary to perform careful
observation and evaluation of patients undergo AHS. The worst part is that not
therapies are develop to cure this rare disorder.
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