Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome
| Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Korsakoff's psychosis, cerebral beriberi,[1] alcoholic encephalopathy,[2] "wet brain"[3] |
| Thiamine | |
| Specialty | Psychiatry, neurology |
Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), colloquially referred to as wet brain syndrome, is the combined presence of Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) and Korsakoff syndrome. Due to the close relationship between these two disorders, people with either are usually diagnosed with WKS as a single syndrome. It mainly causes vision changes, ataxia and impaired memory.[2]
The cause of the disorder is thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. This can occur due to eating disorders, malnutrition, and alcohol abuse. These disorders may manifest together or separately. WKS is usually secondary to prolonged alcohol abuse.
Wernicke encephalopathy and WKS are most commonly seen in people with an alcohol use disorder. Failure in diagnosis of WE and thus treatment of the disease leads to death in approximately 20% of cases, while 75% are left with permanent brain damage associated with WKS.[4] Of those affected, 25% require long-term institutionalization in order to receive effective care.[4][5]
- ^ Arányi, J. (November 24, 1991). "[Cerebral beriberi with ophthalmoplegia as the leading symptom in an alcoholic patient]". Orvosi Hetilap. 132 (47): 2627–2628. ISSN 0030-6002. PMID 1956687.
- ^ a b MedlinePlus Encyclopedia: Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
- ^ Millichap, J. Gordon (August 4, 2013). Neurological Syndromes: A Clinical Guide to Symptoms and Diagnosis. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4614-7786-0.
- ^ a b Thomson, Allan D.; Marshall, E. Jane (2006). "The natural history and pathophysiology of Wernicke's Encephalopathy and Korsakoff's Psychosis". Alcohol and Alcoholism. 41 (2): 151–8. doi:10.1093/alcalc/agh249. PMID 16384871.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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