Thread by @neurogenicpoet

A fascinating symptom in #neurology is #Alien Hand syndrome
If anyone has seen @StanleyKubrick ‘s great film Dr. Strangelove, you might have wondered what’s wrong with the titular character

His hand has a #mind of its own!!!

#cinema #neurotwitter #MedTwitter

Simplifying , for carrying out bimanual planned movements, we need a Supplementary Motor Cortex (SMA) (left frontal lobe). This communicates to the opposite side via the corpus callosum. Lesions in any will impair proper bimanual function and cause an “alien limb”#neuroanatomy

Frontal variant (left sma lesion) : Patient will have impulsive groping and difficulty releasing objects
Affects the dominant hand
Can be due to a #stroke, #degeneration

My patient impulsively grabs my hand (with his right hand) despite me telling him not to!
#neurotwitter

Callosal Variant : corpus callosum. Here non dominant hand is affected (CC connects the dominant hemisphere to the non dom!) patients have inter manual conflict! Their left hand may have a mind of its own!!!
#cognition #cerebrum #neuroscience

Callosal variant can be seen in #stroke #demyelination #neurodegenerative
There is a third type called Sensory variant where non dominant hand feels estranged, may levitate or be neglected !
Seen in certain #dementia #corticobasal or #stroke

Coming back to Dr. Strangelove
I’ll make few assumptions to account of #neurological in accuracies
- he is left handed with right hemisphere dominant

Now it’s easy! Inter manual conflict with non dominant limb involved with minimal weakness and awareness! Callosal !!

Do note, this is a simplification of an extremely complex phenomenon. But an extremely fascinating one! Going forward I’ll explain related topics like #apraxia and #aphasia soon!

And maybe some more Neurology in Cinema!