September 8 2000 BRITAIN Strangelove syndrome gives hands a life of their own A MAN who tried to strangle himself in the middle of the night has been found to be suffering from "Dr Strangelove syndrome". The previously unrecognised conditon, which has been diagnosed in 40 people in Britain and around the world, leaves people with an unruly and uncontrollable hand that refuses to behave. Like the crazed doctor played by Peter Sellers in the 1963 Stanley Kubrick film, the patients have to use their other hand to control the wayward one. The sufferers find that, despite their best intentions, the hand will pick up objects such as scalding cups of coffee or steal ice creams and other food from friends. Sergio Della Sala, Professor of Neuropsychology at the University of Aberdeen, said that many of the victims were at war with the "anarchic" hand, using the one they could control to slap, grab and scold it. He said one patient was so distressed that he kept his unruly hand tied behind his back to avoid embarrassment. Others, some of which he showed on video, plead with the hand, saying "Please don't grab it, please don't grab" and "Little hand, behave". Some have demonised the hand, believing it to be mad. "One hand is behaving in a capricious way and performs an action the patient does not want to perform while he or she tries to perform the action they do want to perform with the other hand. So the two hands end up fighting one another. It has been nicknamed Dr Strangelove syndrome," Professor Della Sala said. The victims, some of whom he has been studying, developed their anarchic hand after a stroke or a car accident had damaged part of the brain's frontal lobe known as the supplementary motor area. He said that the research might shed light on a possible centre in the brain controlling self-will. Some researchers have suggested that people have two selves in which one dominates the other. Professor Della Sala said it might be that the brain damage passes control from the normally dominant self to the less dominant one. The condition might also affect other parts of the body. The professor said that he was aware of at least one patient with an "anarchic" foot. He said that the syndrome probably affected far more people than the 40 already identified, but that it was being mistakenly treated as a mental illness or one requiring physiotherapy. He hopes that by publicising the condition victims may get more sympathy, although he said that he was doubtful that a treatment or cure could be found soon. <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
