I learned about the Alien Hand Syndrome on radio while driving home from work yesterday. A woman came on a show and described how her own hand had literally developed a mind of its own - slapping her, unbuttoning her shirt and even stubbing out her cigarette. All these started after she had a surgery to relief epilepsy seizures.

I looked it up on Google and sure enough I found lots of info about it. Read on . .
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Alien hand syndrome is a rare neurological syndrome. With uniquely unusual clinical symptomatology, alien hand syndrome may be produced by a number of etiologies of cerebral damage and more than one specific region of cerebral damage.

Symptoms and diagnosis of alien hand syndrome

A lack of hand control is the most prominent symptom of alien hand. Yet alien hand syndrome involves more than just a lack of hand control. The affected hand is not weak, instead, the hand maintains normal strength, but it may move involuntarily, without cognitive control or awareness. The hand movements are not spastic or convulsive, but are purposeful and coordinated. Individuals who suffer from alien hand syndrome typically explain that the hand seems to be controlled by ‘someone else.’ Normal movements such as picking up objects, touching the face, and even dressing or undressing, are all characteristics of alien hand syndrome. The distinctive feature of alien hand syndrome is the sufferer’s complaint that these ‘regular’ hand actions are unintentional, unwanted, and unexpected.

Diagnosis can be a challenge because alien hand syndrome, according to the case reports in the medical literature, is truly a neurological disorder without a psychiatric component. This can be confusing during the diagnostic stage, particularly because true psychiatric disorders and behavioral issues are much more prevalent among patients than is alien hand syndrome, making complaints of a ‘hand moving on its own,’ far more likely to be accurately explained by something other than alien hand syndrome based on statistics alone. Therefore, careful observation and evaluation is required for the diagnosis of alien hand syndrome vs. any of the other condition in the differential diagnosis of these symptoms.

Causes of alien hand syndrome

The causes of alien hand syndrome are varied. The condition is not associated with a characteristic vascular stroke syndrome, although stroke is one of the causes. Alien hand syndrome may occur after neurosurgical procedures, particularly when there is an incision involving the corpus callosum. There is an unexpected association between alien hand syndrome and neurodegenerative disease. Other lesions such as trauma and cancer may cause alien hand syndrome.

Source: http://www.neurologytimes.com/blog/alien-hand-syndrome

A short video on the subject:

https://www.youtube.com/embed/8KmJ7-pmNhw

Have a great weekend!

wow, I have never heard of it b/4. very informative, keep it up