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Posterior alien hand syndrome after a right thalamic infarct
J Marey-Lopez1, E Rubio-Nazabal, L Alonso-Magdalena
1Department of Neurology, Hospital Juan Canalejo, La Coruña, Spain. jmareyl@telefonica.net
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|September 18, 2002
Summary
Alien hand syndrome involves a foreign-feeling hand with involuntary movements, often linked to stroke. This case highlights posterior alien hand syndrome caused by a specific thalamic infarction.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Neurology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Alien hand syndrome (AHS) is characterized by a foreign-feeling hand and involuntary motor activity.
- Typically associated with lesions in the corpus callosum or frontal cortex, AHS is uncommon after acute stroke.
Observation:
- This report details a patient presenting with posterior alien hand syndrome.
- The patient's condition stemmed from a vascular event, specifically an infarction.
Findings:
- Neuroimaging revealed an isolated infarction within the right thalamus.
- Crucially, other cerebral regions remained unaffected, suggesting a localized cause for the AHS symptoms.
Implications:
- This case expands the understanding of AHS aetiology, linking it to isolated thalamic infarction.
- It underscores the thalamus's role in motor control and sensory integration, contributing to the neurobiology of AHS.
