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Alien Hand Phenomena: A Review with the Addition of Six Personal Cases

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 December 2014

C.M. Fisher
C.M. Fisher*
Affiliation:
Neurology Service of the Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston MA02114, USA.
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Abstract

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This is a comprehensive literature review of the motor abnormalities that have come to be included under the designation of Alien Hand Phenomena (AHP). Some of the disorders are dyspractic in nature - intermanual conflict, mirror movements, interference etc., while others - groping, grasping with inability to release, utilization etc. are frontal lobe reflexes. AHP are mainly associated with two pathological processes: 1) Infarction or hemorrhage in the territory of the anterior cerebral arteries; and 2) Corticobasal degeneration. Included in the review is a description of AHPin six personal cases of corticobasal degeneration. The summary includes a short discussion of the possible anatomy of 'free will'based on AHP.

Résumé

RÉSUMÉ

Il s’agit d’une revue exhaustive de la littéture sur les anomalies motrices qui sont maintenant dégné sous le nom de "alien hand syndrome" (AHS). Certaines des affections sont d’une nature dyspraxique conflits intermanuels, mouvements en miroir, interfénce etc., alors que d’autres ' tânnement, prénsion avec incapacitée relâer, utilisation etc. sont des réexes du lobe frontal. L’AHS est associérincipalement àeux processus pathologiques: 1) L’infarctus ou l’hérragie dans le territoire des artès cébrales antéeures et 2) la dénéscence corticobasale. Une description de six cas personnels d’AHS dus àne dénéscence corticobasale est jointe àa revue. Le sommaire comprend une courte discussion du fondement anatomique probable de l’action volontaire sur la base du AHS.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences , Volume 27 , Issue 3 , August 2000 , pp. 192 - 203
Copyright
Copyright © The Canadian Journal of Neurological 2000

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