Self-grasping: a focal neurological sign.

A physical sign is described in patients with typical bilateral grasp responses, whereby one hand grasps the contralateral forearm (self-grasping). Of 37 patients with strong bilateral grasp responses, unilateral self-grasping occurred in 8; of these 8 patients, 7 were hemiparetic and 5 showed extinction of double simultaneous stimulation. Two patients had bilateral self-grasping, and 27 avoided self-grasping. In contrast, only 4 of the 27 patients without self-grasping were hemiparetic and 1 had associated sensory extinction. In 2 confused, uncooperative patients, unilateral self-grasping was the most easily demonstrable focal or asymmetrical sign. The sign indicates a contralateral frontal or parietal lobe lesion. It may be related to the inability to recognize oneself.