Summing up, Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is a brain disorder due to a lack of vitamin B1 (also called thiamine). This syndrome can also be understood as the union of two different mental disorders: Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff syndrome.
We are going to learn what each of these pathologies consists of, as well as their main symptoms and some possible forms of treatment.
Wernicke encephalopathy
It is a neurological disease caused by a lack of thiamine. Its symptoms have to do with incoordination when making the movements necessary to walk (ataxia), problems when moving the eyes and the appearance of a constant state of confusion.
Korsakoff syndrome
In Korsakoff Syndrome, or Korsakoff psychosisits symptoms are more developed with memory problems, to the point where this syndrome is usually included in the types of amnesia.
Thus, Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is a symptom picture that encompasses the problems that appear both in Wernicke’s Encelopathy and those associated with Korsakoff’s Psychosis. While the symptoms of the former manifest in an acute symptomatic peak, those of Korsakoff Syndrome are chronic.
The spectrum of symptoms related to Korsakoff Syndrome usually appears as the symptoms of Wernicke Encephalopathy disappear.
The diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome can only be made by specialists with medical training. However, it is good recognize the main symptoms by which these experts are guided when detecting the syndrome, to know if a person should visit the doctor or not.
The main symptoms related to Wernicke encephalopathy are these:
The symptoms of Korsakoff syndrome They have more to do with memory, and they are these:
The causes of this syndrome
Lack of vitamin B1 related to Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome It is usually associated with the abusive consumption of alcoholic beverages but it can also be due to a failure in the absorption of nutrients from what is ingested.
While Wernicke’s Encephalopathy causes damage to the thalamus and hypothalamus (the two large structures in an area of ​​the brain called the diencephalon), Korsakoff Syndrome is caused by damage to more distributed areas related to memory, both in memorizing information. as in the recovery of memories.
Possible treatments
Currently, Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome has no cure, so its treatment is aimed at ensuring that the symptomatic condition does not worsen and that its effects can be controlled as much as possible to make the person’s quality of life worse. the minimum.
The treatments, which must always be directed by a specialist, They usually address the syndrome through the prevention of continued alcohol consumption. improving the person’s eating habits, individual psychological care or support groups, and the injection of vitamin B1.
The symptoms that can subside more easily are those that have to do with motor coordination and eye movement, but those that have to do with cognitive abilities do not usually improve and, if not treated properly, can worsen until they become worse. to coma and death.
