Alien limb syndrome - A systematic literature review of rehabilitation strategies

Alien Limb Syndrome (ALS) is a neurological condition that is heavily characterized by involuntary coordinated motor activity in the limbs of the affected individual. They are majorly characterized by opposing movements in the limbs, Sudden Grasps (SGs), and Limb Elevations (LEs). Lesions in the medial frontal lobes, parietal lobes, and corpus callosum are the most prevalent causes of ALS. Since its awareness was heightened in 1964 following the popular movie by Stanley Kubrick, scientists, and health practitioners have experimented with using diverse rehabilitation therapies to correct this condition. These rehabilitation techniques include both pharmacological and physical therapies. However, there have been no clinical trials or standardized therapies adopted. This article reviewed 5 case studies with emphasis on the rehabilitation therapies used and their effectiveness. Pharmacological therapies, which include drugs such as botulinum, proved to drastically improve the patient's spontaneous LEs and sudden grasps SGs by 84% and 77% then clonazepam improved the LEs and SGs by 73% and 70% respectively. Physical therapies which involved eye-hand coordination showed good results.