Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 30, 2026

A Chronic Sleep Fragmentation Model using Vibrating Orbital Rotor to Induce Cognitive Deficit and Anxiety-Like Behavior in Young Wild-Type Mice
Published on: September 22, 2020
Sleep disorder in alien hand syndrome
J J Ortega-Albás1, M de Entrambasaguas, F J Montoya
1Sleep Unit, Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Hospital General de Castellón, Avenida de Benicàssim s/n, E-12004 Castellón, Spain. ortega_jua@gva.es
Abstract:
A 63-year-old right-handed woman developed an alien hand syndrome (AHS) after an acute infarction in the territory of the left anterior cerebral artery. The uncontrolled hand movements were present during the daytime and eventually disturbed sleep. Polysomnography revealed that these motor actions only appeared when the patient was awake. These awakenings emerged mostly from NREM sleep stage 2 during the first half of the night. There was no evidence of any epileptiform activity, dyssomnia or parasomnia. These movements were controlled making her wear an oven mitt during sleep. The temporal distribution of this motor activity seems to follow the progressive hyperpolarization of anterior horn neurons that occurs when sleep deepens. The accommodation of the grasp reflex in AHS probably helps control this unwanted motor activity.
Related Concept Videos
REM Sleep Behavior Disorder
RBD is significantly associated with...
Sleepwalking and Sleep Talking
Factors that increase the likelihood of sleepwalking include sleep deprivation and alcohol consumption. Contrary to common beliefs, it is safe...
Sleep-Wake Cycles
NREM Sleep
NREM sleep comprises four progressive stages that seamlessly merge:
Stages of Sleep
Before sleep begins, in wakefulness, the brain exhibits primarily beta waves, which are high in frequency and low in amplitude, indicating alertness...

