Posterior-variant alien hand syndrome: clinical features and response to rehabilitation.
OBJECTIVE
This case highlights the clinical features and course of recovery of a patient presenting to the rehabilitation service with posterior-variant alien hand syndrome (AHS) following thalamic stroke.


METHODS
Single case report.


RESULTS
Clinical signs and symptoms included mild hemiparesis, dyspraxia, dysmetria, primary sensory loss and hemispatial neglect. Autonomous movements and personification of the affected extremity which were ego-syntonic in nature were characteristic of posterior-variant AHS. The associated neurological impairments resolved early during the course of rehabilitation and the patient made excellent functional gains.


CONCLUSIONS
This case highlights the distinguishing features differentiating posterior-variant AHS from more classical AHS and underscores the excellent prognosis of this variant.
Pack
B C
BC
Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Department, University of Virginia, School of Medicine, Virginia, USA. bcp2c@virginia.edu
Stewart
K J
KJ
Diamond
P T
PT
Gale
S D
SD
D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000534:rehabilitation; D002544:Cerebral Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D006225:Hand / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009069:Movement Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000534:rehabilitation; D010291:Paresis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D013577:Syndrome; D013788:Thalamus / Q000098:blood supply*