Diseases

Alien Limb Phenomenon

An apraxia characterized by the affected limb having involuntary, autonomous, and seemingly purposeful behaviors that are perceived as being controlled by an external force. Often the affected limb interferes with the actions of the normal limb. Symptoms develop from lesions in the CORPUS CALLOSUM or medial frontal cortex caused by stroke, infarction, and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB SYNDROME, corticobasal degeneration).

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

An apraxia characterized by the affected limb having involuntary, autonomous, and seemingly purposeful behaviors that are perceived as being controlled by an external force. Often the affected limb interferes with the actions of the normal limb. Symptoms develop from lesions in the CORPUS CALLOSUM or medial frontal cortex caused by stroke, infarction, and neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., CREUTZFELDT-JAKOB SYNDROME, corticobasal degeneration).

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

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MeSH Record

Synonyms

18 entry terms
  • Alien Limb Syndrome
  • Phenomenon, Alien Limb
  • Syndrome, Alien Limb
  • Alien Limb Phenomenons
  • Alien Limb Syndromes
  • Alien Hand Phenomenon
  • Alien Hand Syndrome
  • Alien Leg Syndrome
  • Anarchic Hand Syndrome
  • Phenomenon, Alien Hand
  • Syndrome, Alien Hand
  • Syndrome, Alien Leg
  • Syndrome, Anarchic Hand
  • Alien Hand Phenomenons
  • Alien Hand Syndromes
  • Alien Leg Syndromes
  • Anarchic Hand Syndromes
  • Leg Syndrome, Alien

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

History Note

2023(2010)

MeSH Record

Previous Indexing

  • Apraxia, Ideomotor (2005-2009)
  • Ataxia (1986-2009)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. C10w.597.606.881.350w.099w
  2. C23.888w.592.604.882.350w.099w
  3. F01.700.875.350w.099w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Alien Limb Phenomenon. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D055964. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D055964
  2. Alien Limb Phenomenon. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alien_hand_syndrome
  3. Alien Limb Phenomenon. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q143790