Alien limb or primitive hand to mouth reflex?

[Martina_MP]

My mother who has PSP/CBD is affected on her right side which does not move much. Today her right hand slowly floated up and she put her index fingertip in her mouth between her teeth. Fortunately she didn’t actually bite it. I don’t think she has a toothache and nothing seems to be hurting on her finger.

With her good hand (left side), she often grasps anything in front of her, and if you offer her something to hold, or if she is holding a cloth napkin for example, she often puts it into her mouth as if she is going to eat it (like an infant). But this hasn’t happened with an empty left hand or her incapacitated right hand before. Has anyone observed something like this? Wondering whether this is the same infantile reflex as on the left, or a weird alien limb thing. Also just wanted to describe in case it comes up with others.

The right hand kept wandering up to feed her her fingertip, so in case she was hungry I put a snack into her left hand and she ate it. The right hand hung in the air and stayed out of her mouth.

[Rustington]

My husband often does this - one or other hand, or sometimes both, lifts up and often just stays there. I have no idea why although I wonder if he is acting out something - he spends much of the day with eyes shut, sometimes actually sleeping, sometimes not (it's hard to tell). Also he often sits with a finger in his ear, which eventually I have to release for him.

[Martina_MP in reply to Rustington]

Thank you, that is helpful. The finger in the ear sounds analogous to the finger in the mouth. What a strange thing.

[Hidden]

Mom had PSP and at that time l did not understand the issues she was experiencing with her arm. Seems l was too busy trying to comprehend the other stages of PSP.Now that l live with my own alien arm... (l affectionately call her Crazy Hand because l did not know the term Alien Limb when she threw a cup of hot coffee across the room)...

l will try to explain my experience which of course is a bit different from your mom's symptoms. There are times Crazy Hand does cooperative and other times she has an agenda all her own. She is not to be trusted with a fork, knife or even a spoon so l now use my left hand which is challenging (but much safer). I could write a book about Embarrassing Moments (and sometime dangerous moments) with Crazy Hand. I try to share the humorous stories with my grandchildren... l love it when they ask, "So Granni what's Crazy Hand been up to lately?" I love the sound of laughter!

So l think it is good that you help guide your mom's alien arm whenever possible. SendingHugs... Granni B

[Martina_MP in reply to Hidden]

That is amazing. Thank you.