Sequelae of a left-sided parietal stroke: posterior alien hand syndrome

Neurocase. 2010 Dec;16(6):488-93. doi: 10.1080/13554794.2010.497154. Epub 2010 Sep 7.

Abstract

Posterior alien hand syndrome is a new addition to a poorly understood group of movement disorders. Historically, anatomical lesions causing uncontrolled limb movement and a feeling of foreignness were found to be located in the corpus callosum or frontal lobe. Recent case reports, however, demonstrate the typical symptoms of alien hand syndrome with lesions located in the parietal/occipital lobes. Disturbance of normal function in these regions tends to produce less complex motor activity, such as hand levitation, along with a sensory component characterized by feeling of estrangement. We discuss a patient who presented with unusual symptoms following an outpatient procedure and was found to have posterior alien hand syndrome.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alien Limb Phenomenon / diagnostic imaging
  • Alien Limb Phenomenon / etiology
  • Alien Limb Phenomenon / pathology
  • Alien Limb Phenomenon / physiopathology*
  • Dominance, Cerebral
  • Female
  • Hand / physiopathology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Motor Activity*
  • Occipital Lobe / diagnostic imaging
  • Occipital Lobe / pathology*
  • Parietal Lobe / diagnostic imaging
  • Parietal Lobe / pathology*
  • Stroke / complications*
  • Stroke / diagnostic imaging
  • Stroke / pathology
  • Stroke / physiopathology
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed