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Living with Bimanual synkinesia

A rare condition in which one hand or side of the body copies movements of the other, without other nervous system problems.

Understanding Bimanual synkinesia

Bimanual synkinesia, also called congenital mirror movement disorder (CMM), is a rare condition with involuntary movements on one side that mirror movements on the other.

Mirror movements that do not go away and continue into adulthood are considered abnormal. People with CMM have no other nervous system problems. It starts in infancy and childhood. Diagnosis is based on symptoms and may be confirmed by genetic testing.

Signs & symptoms

Symptoms vary from person to person. GARD lists these among the most common:

  • Mirror movements of the hands
  • Poor fine motor control
  • Clumsiness
  • Tiring easily

Not everyone has every symptom. GARD's list comes from the Human Phenotype Ontology.

Diagnosis

  1. Talk with your doctor

    Share the symptoms you've noticed, when they started and your family health history. Notes and photos can help.

  2. See a specialist

    Specialists who may be involved include brain and nervous system specialists and genetic specialists.

  3. Ask which tests can help

    Your care team will decide which exams and tests can confirm the diagnosis.

Care & treatment

Care team
Brain and nervous system specialists (neurologists); Genetic specialists (geneticists)
Expert care
Ask about multidisciplinary care centers for rare conditions
Treatment
GARD doesn't list specific treatments for this condition. Your care team will tailor care to your symptoms.
Research
Clinical trials and observational studies may be options. See the research section below.

General information, not medical advice. Your care team makes the decisions.

Everyday life

Living with a rare condition is easier with support.

  • Connect with rare disease patient organizations for support
  • Keep notes on symptoms, changes and questions for appointments
  • Ask about patient registries that help research
  • Look into financial aid and travel resources for care visits
Bring these questions to your next doctor visit
Can RAD51 or DCC gene testing confirm the diagnosis?
Could therapy help with hand coordination?
How likely is it that other relatives are affected?

Quick facts

Symptoms usually startInfant and as a Child
InheritanceAutosomal Dominant, Autosomal Recessive

Changes in the RAD51 or DCC genes can cause CMM. In some cases the cause is unknown. It is usually autosomal dominant, rarely autosomal recessive, and not everyone with the change has the condition.

GeneticNeurological

Also known as: familial congenital controlateral synkinesia; familial congenital mirror movements; hand mirror movements; hereditary congenital controlateral synkinesia; hereditary congenital mirror movements; isolated congenital controlateral synkinesia

Patient organizations

Rare-disease groups that can help

Source: NIH GARD · Bimanual synkinesiaGARD ID 12551 · GARD page updated September 2026 · Plain-language summary by Know Rare; editorial review pending. General information, not medical advice.

You are more than your diagnosis

Perspectives from people navigating life with Bimanual synkinesia.

Explore the Bimanual synkinesia blog

Explore research for Bimanual synkinesia

Explore actively recruiting Bimanual synkinesia studies with HealthSpark.

HealthSpark

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  • Recruiting studies from ClinicalTrials.gov
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  • Eligibility is confirmed by the study team

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Powered by HealthSpark, our AI chat helper · Study information from ClinicalTrials.gov · Eligibility is confirmed by the study team.

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