Imagine having a limb with a mind of its own, one that could attack you... or other people, for that matter.
Alien hand syndrome is a real (but extremely rare - there's only been a handful of known cases) condition. Usually occurring after some kind of brain trauma, there have been cases where the "alien" hand has hit or even attempted to strangle the person it is attached to!
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| How would you react to your own hand trying to strangle you? (Frankie Mish) |
Evil Hands
At first it sounds like a bad horror movie plot. Someone suddenly finds that one of their arms (or sometimes a leg) has developed its own sense of self and is now acting on its own initiative. It might grab at objects and people or even directly oppose the will of its owner, unbuttoning clothing right after doing it up.
In some cases the limb may even become hostile or get into a "fight" with an unaffected limb. It might go as far as attempting to strangle its owner, or even begin groping the owner in public.
Thanks to this disturbing behavior, the condition is sometimes called "Dr Strangelove Syndrome" after the titular film, since the doctor can't control his (seemingly Nazi) arm.
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| Not being able to control the limb can lead to all kinds of unfortunate situations... (Pavlofox) |
The Symptoms
The core of alien hand syndrome is the (seemingly) independent movement of the affected limb, coupled with an inability to control it.
The "alien" limb might engage in goal-oriented behavior (picking up things, manipulating objects and even using tools) that may run counter to the conscious behavior of its owner. For example, the hand might close a drawer as soon as it has been opened, begin pawing at its owner or even (as mentioned above) attempt an assault.
One interesting facet of the condition is that some sufferers personify the misbehaving limb. They can end up viewing it as a semi-independent entity, or even give it a name in some cases!
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| It can emerge when the two hemispheres of the brain get disconnected... (Robina Weermeijer) |
The Causes
If there's a common thread between each case of alien hand, it is brain damage. Cancer, neurogenerative diseases, stroke and traumatic injuries have all been linked to the syndrome.
Some of the clearest cases actually occur thanks to a radical treatment for epilepsy. The two hemispheres of the brain are linked by (and communicate across) a bridge of tissue called the corpus collosum. Severing this can dramatically (or even eliminate) extreme epileptic fits... but it can also result in two "separate" brains vying for control of one body.
The behavior shown by an alien hand tends to vary depending on where the brain damage occurred. For example, damage to the corpus collosum tends to produce oppositional behavior - shutting doors as soon as they are opened, unbuttoning a shirt as soon as you fasten it and so on.
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| Strokes can also lead to the syndrome... (ANIRUDH) |
Three Real Cases
So that's all well and good, but what about some real life cases?
Our first involves a 77 year old woman who had been prescribed anticoagulants. Nothing out of the ordinary there, but she was instructed to stop taking them due to an upcoming operation - a mistake, as it would turn out. As she watched TV two days later, the woman's hand flung itself across her vision and began stroking her face and hair. This carried on for around 30 minutes before stopping - a subsequent trip to the hospital revealed the alien hand as the consequences of a stroke brought on by her thickening blood.
The second example concerns an 84 year old woman who arrived at hospital with headaches... and a left arm that was attempting to grab her own body. Not only did this person have a history of strokes (including one that damaged the corpus collosum) she was having another one at the time of her arrival. Despite the woman believing that the arm had been possessed by the devil, doctors were able to mitigate the symptoms with medication after repairing the bleed.
Example number three is the case of a 44 year old man who reported feeling like his hand was a glove-puppet. In this case, doctors identified the cause as an "aura" migraine - a condition that normally manifests as strange sensations or minor hallucinations.
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| Sometimes a simple solution can get the job done! (Bru-nO) |
Living With an Alien Hand
Alien hand syndrome is usually the result of complex brain damage - and repairing that kind of injury is currently beyond us. That's not to say there's nothing that can be done. Certain medications used to treat fits and spasms have been found to dampen the symptoms.
Perhaps the most effective treatments so far are therapy and coping strategies. Research suggests that some sufferers can start to reassert control over a limb if alien behavior is brought to their attention. Other solutions include "distracting" the offending arm by giving it something to hold, though some patients elect to physically restrain or sit on the the limb instead - one patient even took to wearing an oven mitt!
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