Alien Hand Syndrome, (Dr Strangelove Syndrome) A Simple Guide To The Condition, Diagnosis, Treatment And Related Conditions

By Kenneth Kee

This book describes Alien Hand Syndrome, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases
Alien hand syndrome (Dr Strangelove Syndrome) is a rare neurological disorder that causes one hand to act on its own free will.
Sometimes one leg is affected, though this is not as frequent.
With alien hand syndrome, the hand is not under the control of the mind and moves as though it has its own mind.
The affected hand feels alien to its owner during these events and seems to move purposefully to carry out tasks that are not intentional.
Alien hand is an infrequently diagnosed disorder after brain illness that affects complicated, goal-directed movement of one hand for which the patient lacks conscious intention
While it can affect children, normally alien hand occurs in adults.
It is sometimes referred to as Dr. Strangelove syndrome from the movie Dr Strangelove who potray the alien hand syndrome.
Causes
Alien hand syndrome can be caused by several factors.
Some people form alien hand syndrome after a stroke, trauma, or tumor.
It is occasionally linked with cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and brain aneurysms.
Alien hand syndrome is linked to brain surgeries that divide the two hemispheres of the brain.
This may require an incision along the corpus callosum.
The corpus callosum divides the brain hemispheres and permits for communication between the two sides.
Surgeries to treat epilepsy occasionally involve the brain in this way.
With distinctively abnormal medical symptoms, alien hand syndrome may be produced by a number of causes of cerebral injury and more than one specific area of cerebral damage.
Besides the corpus callosum, other regions of the brain linked with alien hand syndrome are:
1. Brain lesions in alien hand syndrome
2. Generally, it would make sense for visual, sensory, or motor dissociation such as hemi-agnosia to be linked with alien hand syndrome.
Symptoms
The most main symptom of alien hand syndrome is the inability to control the hand as it acts independently.
The involved hand may move against the owner’s will and do goal-focused tasks and actions.
The hand is said to shift without cognitive control or awareness.
It is as though it is being regulated by someone else or has a mind of its own.
The hand may touch the face, button a shirt, or pick up an object, occasionally repeatedly or compulsively.
The alien hand may also ascend on its own.
The hand may also take on in self-oppositional actions such as closing a drawer that the other hand just opened or unbuttoning a shirt that the patient just buttoned.
Diagnosis
A doctor may diagnose alien hand syndrome through surveillance and assessment.
Diagnosis of alien hand syndrome is complicated because it is a neurological disorder that lacks a psychiatric component.
Treatment
There is no cure for alien hand syndrome.
Treatments and medicinal choices for alien hand syndrome help to diminish symptoms.
People with alien hand syndrome after brain illness or a stroke may recover after some time.
The resolution is less effective for people with neurodegenerative diseases.
The disorder may be managed using muscle control treatments such as botulinum toxin and neuromuscular blocking agents.
Benzodiazepines have been successful in some cases, but behavioral methods appear to be more beneficial.
Mirror box treatment, cognitive therapy methods, and learning task behavioral treatments can help control symptoms.
Visuospatial coaching methods may also assist.
Occasionally the patient will try to restrain their alien hand by holding it under between their legs or sitting on it.
Some people may find that it is useful to hold an object in the alien hand to prevent it from doing tasks.

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Chapter 1 Alien Hand Syndrome
Chapter 2 Causes
Chapter 3 Symptoms
Chapter 4 Diagnosis<

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Sep 6, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463013595

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

Alien Hand Syndrome,

(Dr Strangelove Syndrome)

A

Simple

Guide

To

The Condition,

Diagnosis,

Treatment

And

Related Conditions

By

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2018 Smashwords Edition

Published by Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To my wife Dorothy

And my children

Carolyn, Grace

And Kelvin

This book describes Alien Hand Syndrome, Diagnosis and Treatment and Related Diseases which is seen in some of my patients in my Family Clinic.

(What The patient Need to Treat Alien Hand Syndrome)

This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

I have been writing medical articles for my blog: http://kennethkee.blogspot.com (A Simple Guide to Medical Disorder) for the benefit of my patients since 2007.

My purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of my patients.

Health Education was also my dissertation for my Ph.D (Healthcare Administration).

I then wrote an autobiolographical account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog: http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.com.

This autobiolographical account A Family Doctor’s Tale was combined with my early A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders into a new Wordpress Blog A Family Doctor’s Tale on http://kenkee481.wordpress.com.

From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 800 eBooks.

Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.

For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.

The later books go into more details of medical disorders.

The first chapter is always from my earlier blogs which unfortunately tends to have typos and spelling mistakes.

Since 2013, I have tried to improve my spelling and writing.

As I tried to bring the patient the latest information about a disorder or illness by reading the latest journals both online and offline, I find that I am learning more and improving on my own medical knowledge in diagnosis and treatment for my patients.

Just by writing all these simple guides I find that I have learned a lot from your reviews (good or bad), criticism and advice.

I am sorry for the repetitions in these simple guides as the second chapters onwards have new information as compared to my first chapter taken from my blog.

I also find repetition definitely help me and maybe some readers to remember the facts in the books more easily.

I apologize if these repetitions are irritating to some readers.

Chapter 1

Alien hand syndrome

What is Alien hand syndrome?

Alien hand syndrome (Dr Strangelove Syndrome) is a rare neurological disorder that causes one hand to act on its own free will.

Sometimes one leg is affected, though this is not as frequent.

With alien hand syndrome, the hand is not under the control of the mind and moves as though it has its own mind.

The affected hand feels alien to its owner during these events and seems to move purposefully to carry out tasks that are not intentional.

Alien hand is an infrequently diagnosed disorder after brain illness that affects complicated, goal-directed movement of one hand for which the patient lacks conscious intention

While it can affect children, normally alien hand occurs in adults.