Like most of the movement disorders, alien hand syndrome also presents asymmetrically in those diagnosed with CBD. Apraxia
Ideomotor apraxia (IMA), although clearly present in CBD, often manifests atypically due to the additional presence of bradykinesia and rigidity in those individuals exhibiting the disorders. The IMA symptom in CBD is characterized by the inability to repeat or mimic particular movements (whether significant or random) both with or without the implementation of objects. This form of IMA is present in the hands and arms, while IMA in the lower extremities may cause problems with walking. Those with CBD that exhibit IMA may appear to have trouble initiating walking, as the foot may appear to be fixed to floor. This can cause stumbling and difficulties in maintaining balance. IMA is associated with deterioration in the premotor cortex, parietal association areas, connecting white matter tracts, thalamus, and basal ganglia. Some individuals with CBD exhibit limb-kinetic apraxia, which involves dysfunction of more fine motor movements often performed by the hands and fingers. Aphasia
Aphasia in CBD is revealed through the inability to speak or a difficulty in initiating spoken dialogue and falls under the non-fluent (as opposed to fluent or flowing) subtype of the disorder. This may be related to speech impairment such as dysarthria, and thus is not a true aphasia, as aphasia is related to a change in language function, such as difficulty retrieving words or putting words together to form meaningful sentences. The speech and/or language impairments in CBD result in disconnected speech patterns and the omission of words.
It is highly recommended that patients are able to seek the help of pediatric psychologists throughout the entire treatment process. Prognosis
While there is no cure for AMS, treatment plans provided by doctors can help improve development, overall quality of life, and physical appearance. Physical appearance cannot be corrected to the "norm" but the life expectancy of patients diagnosed with AMS is normal. Research
Current research into AMS focuses on both underlying causes of the disease and surgical methods for treatment. Currently, a study in Tokyo, Japan is focusing on the role of other TWIST genes in AMS development, specifically the role of TWIST1 and the amino acid substitution that must occur to mutate the gene. TWIST1 mutations are believed to lead to craniosynostosis and ablepharon.Clinical research focuses on the different surgical techniques used to treat the ablepharon aspect of AMS. The primary goal of such research is to determine which methods are most effective for the patient without being unnecessarily complex. According to a study conducted by the departments of ophthalmology in São Paulo and Lima, Peru, full thickness skin grafts have been shown to effectively treat microblepharon in patients with AMS without needing complicated surgeries. References


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