title: Intermittent alien hand syndrome and callosal apraxia in multiple sclerosis: implications for interhemispheric communication.
abstract: We report a case of a 47-year-old woman with 35-year history of multiple sclerosis, who showed alien hand signs, a rare behavioural disorder that involves unilateral goal-directed movements that are contrary to the individual's intention. Alien hand syndrome has been described in multiple sclerosis (MS) only occasionally and is generally suggestive of callosal disconnection. The patient presented also with bilateral limb apraxia and left hand agraphia, raising the possibility of cortical dysfunction or disconnection, in addition to corpus callosum and white matter involvement. Her specific pattern of symptoms supports the role of the corpus callosum in interhemispheric communication for complex as well as fine motor activities and may indicate that it can serve as both an inhibitory and excitatory function depending on task demands.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine, Ospedali Riuniti, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lunardelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sartori
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mengotti
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Area, SISSA, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: R I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Rumiati
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation Medicine, Ospedali Riuniti, Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pesavento
mesh_terms: D000381:Agraphia / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D055964:Alien Limb Phenomenon / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001072:Apraxias / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology