Alien Hand Syndrome Essay

Alien Hand Syndrome is a neurological disorder in which a person cannot control their hand motion, of which usually occurs in one hand. Usually, the afflicted hand attempts to reach for an object against the will of the person, often restraining the afflicted hand with their own controlled hand. This syndrome usually occurs after a surgery that separates the two hemispheres of the brain. It also has been observed to occur after brain surgery, stroke, infection, tumor, aneurysms, as well as other specific neurological disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. Alien Hand Syndrome is usually associated with the frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes. There are two reported branches of Alien Hand Syndrome: Frontal and Callosal. Both Frontal and Callosal AHS usually occur in the non-dominant hand of the afflicted. Because Frontal AHS affects the Frontal Lobe, it is characterized by grasping and groping. Frontal AHS usually is a result of stroke. Callosal AHS, which affects the Parietal and Occipital Lobes of the afflicted, usually does not grasp or grope other objects, but acts as more in the “alien” realm of the syndrome, producing random motion and actions. Callosal AHS is usually a result of the hemisphere splitting surgery …show more content…
There is also no treatment that can totally restore function in the afflicted hand, as doctors cannot exactly pinpoint what exactly causes Alien Hand Syndrome as well as the many other factors involved in Alien Hand Syndrome. Doctors often prescribe physical therapy for the afflicted, exercises to better control hand motions, as well as general tips and guidelines to help the afflicted cope with Alien Hand Syndrome. Doctors often encourage patients to keep the hand occupied by constantly holding an object in its hand. This nominally keeps the hand at bay. Canes have also proven to help, as the hand does not usually drop the cane to grasp another