When your hand has the will and power of its own ….
A Nazi “Seig Heil” salute in Dr Strangelove Syndrome
Alien hand syndrome is also called as Anarchic hand or Dr. Strangelove syndrome
Alien hand syndrome is a rare neurological disorder in which one hand functions involuntarily, with the victim completely unaware of its action.
In Stanley Kubrick’s movie Dr Strangelove, the main character is described as “erratic” and displays a bizarre movement disorder. His right hand seems to be driven by a will of its own, at times clutching his own throat and at other times raising into a Nazi salute. Dr Strangelove must try to restrain this wayward limb with his left hand. Bizarre as this fictional character is, a similar movement disorder can occur in neurologic disease. The Alien Hand Syndrome is famously known as Dr. Strangelove syndrome; from the famous movie back in the days entitled Dr. Strangelove which presented AHS. This is a neurological disorder that is characterized by the affected person’s own hand or hands that seemingly have taken over its own free will or mind of its own. This said phenomenon or condition is a result from a brain’s surgical intervention, in treatment of worst cases of epilepsy. This condition can be acquired after a cerebrovascular accident or stroke.
There are three main categories of alien hand syndrome based on the part of brain that causes the condition. They are the:
1) Frontal lobe version. This is the only version reported that affects right hand.
2) Callosal version. This involves the corpus callosum area of brain.
3)Posterior version. This involves parietal lobe.
Alien Hand Syndrome is best documented in cases where a person has had the two hemispheres of their brain surgically separated, a procedure sometimes used to relieve the symptoms of extreme cases of epilepsy. It also occurs in some cases after other brain surgery, strokes, or infections.
Alien Hand Syndrome Symptoms?
The symptoms generally attributed to the frontal lobe version include:
1)Involuntary groping mostly of other parts of your body and your clothes
2)Involuntary grasping- this can be of any object
3)Difficulty releasing objects
The symptoms that are common in the posterior version include:
1)Levitation where your arm starts rising into the air for no reason
2)Less purposeful movement like simply waving about
Psychological struggles
This is the version that most commonly causes people to stop recognizing their hand as their own.
The callosal variety is characterized by one main symptom- conflict during two-handed tasks.
Once the condition begins, it can last anywhere from 30 minutes the shortest reported case to the rest of your life.
What are the Symptoms?
On a broader level, causes of brain damage that can lead to AHS include:
1.Brain tumors
2.Strokes
3.Aneurysms
4.Brain damage from an injury
5. As a side effect of brain surgery
6. Parry–Romberg Syndrome
7.Creutzfeldt–Jakob Disease
8.Atypical Parkinson’s variants, like corticobasal syndrome
Various other neurodegenerative diseases
In some cases, the condition is idiopathic meaning that the exact cause remains unknown.
Who Gets Alien Hand Syndrome?
Anyone can get this syndrome. All it requires is a certain brain injury. The more at risk for brain injuries like a stroke to develop Alien Hand Syndrome.
How Is Alien Hand Syndrome Diagnosed?
1)Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
2)Diffusion Tensor Magnetic resonance imaging (DT-MRI) a more specialized technique that can map water in the white matter of your brain
3)A computed tomography (CT) scan
Alien Hand Syndrome Treatment?
There is no cure for Alien Hand Syndrome as there is no distinct cause identified for this condition. Treatment is mostly supportive with the aim of reducing the involuntary movements of the affected hand with the hopes of having full control of the hand. This is basically done by giving the patient some sort of exercises to do in order to restore voluntary control of the hands. Specific tasks may be given to the patient to perform with the affected hand so as to facilitate voluntary control of the hand and thus reduce the involuntary actions .
When to See a Doctor?
Because this condition is so bizarre, even terrifying to experience, one would likely want to seek medical attention as soon as it starts. This is exactly what one should do.
In all likelihood, AHS is caused by a much more serious underlying medical condition. Not all people with AHS can be helped with immediate medical attention. But in some cases, this step could save your life.
What is the Conclusion?
Alien Hand Syndrome is a rare condition but can be distressing to those few who get diagnosed with it. The ones suffering from Alien Hand Syndrome have said to be more triggered in conditions of fatigue, anxiety or stress. Rehabilitative treatments and therapies are undertaken to treat the symptoms and treatments to eradicate the root cause are under development.
