Alien Hand Syndrome; A Neurological Condition That Causes Your Hand to Hunt You

When a person suffers from epileptic seizures, especially intermitent ones which look almost constant at all times. Surgery is always adviced because there is a part of the brain that is firing unendingly. The operation to cure epilepsy has to do with identifying and cutting out the portion of the brain that is firing abnormal electrical signals triggering the seizure. If the portion of the brain isn't found easily, then a more invasive procedure can be performed to help remove the portion of the brain responsible. While this looks very simple and has been successful for a lot of people, there was a case where an epileptic seizure operation led to allowing a part of the body functioning by itself.

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Consider the story of Karen Byrne, who grappled with incessant epileptic seizures, prompting her to undergo brain surgery. The operation targeted the Corpus Callosum, a vital brain structure connecting the left and right hemispheres. However, what followed the surgery was far from ordinary. Her epileptic seizures were indeed gone, but her left hand began to act independently, as if with a mind of its own. It would unbutton her clothes, and Karen had no control over it. She'd use her right hand to rebutton, but the left hand persisted, becoming increasingly forceful. It was evident that something had gone awry during the surgery.

While her epilepsy was gone, the function of the Corpus Callosum was visible as the hermispheres in the brain were not working in sync. One part of the brain was controlling the left hand, while the other half was still working properly and could control the right hand. From her experience being narrated, the left hand was willing to do things on its own without her knowledge, and so she was diagnosed with Alien Hand Syndrome.

Alien hand syndrome has to do with the inability to control one hand, as it is able to function independently without the person's intent and awareness. First described in 1908 by Dr. Hugo Liepmann, and Kurt Goldstein, a german neuroloist and psychiatrist. Kurt Goldstein reported a case of a woman who's left hand would do whatever it wanted if it wasn't monitored. The limbs would act like it doesn't belong to them.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Brain_-Lobes-_Temporoparietal_junction.png
https://commons.wikimedia.org

This syndrome can be triggered by tumors, stroke, brain injuries, neurodegenerative disorders such as parkinsons disease, Aneurysms, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, and brain surgery. This doesn't mean that every brain surgery would lead to Aliean Hand Syndrome (AHS) as it is a rare condition. Although it is rare, it can exist in different version , such as the frontal lope affecting the right hand causing it to act on its own, as it grab things, closes things, and perform activities that are against the function of the body. When the collosal region is affected such as the corpus collosum, it can lead to conflict between the two hands during two handed task, while the posterior area of the brain such as the Parietal lobe can cause the arm to wave and hover without any control.

AHS is very difficult to diagnose because it has overlapping symptoms with certain psychiatric condition. It can be misdiagnosed with motor based dysfunction and other psychological issues. Also, the underlying cause behind the AHS would need to be identified using a CT scan and MRI scan. Treatment for the syndrome would include usinf Muscle control therapy, botox, and neuromuscular blocking agents such as Benzodiazepines.

Alien Hand Syndrome offers a glimpse into the enigmatic workings of the human brain. It demonstrates how even seemingly minor alterations can lead to bewildering consequences, where individuals may gain or lose control over certain abilities. This is a testament to the complexity and mysteries of neurology.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4059570/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7425627/
https://greymattersjournal.org/alien-hand-syndrome/
https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/65/3/366
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-cjd/