Alcoholic neuropathy: causes, effects and treatment

This group of diseases caused by alcohol consumption can become very serious.

The neuropathies, or clinical disorders of the nervous system, are a large group of heterogeneous diseases that affect the nerves responsible for making the body function.. While some affect the peripheral nervous system, resulting in motor and sensory disturbances, others attack the autonomic nervous system.

Alcoholic neuropathy, a nervous system disorder caused by alcohol consumption, is peripherally affected.is peripherally affected. Let's see in which forms the nervous damage of alcoholic origin is manifested.

Clinical in alcoholic neuropathy

People dependent on alcohol suffer accentuated effects on their nervous system. Nearly 10% of alcoholics who consume high doses of ethanol chronically end up with some form of alcoholic neuropathy. end up suffering from alcoholic neuropathy in one of its forms.

These patients with alcoholic neuropathy suffer damage to the axons of motor and sensory neurons. motor neurons and those responsible for sensitivity. Bilateral paresthesias occur in both arms and legs, numbness, tingling sensations and paresthesias, which are more accentuated in the hands and feet. In addition, gait and postural disturbances may occur due to degeneration or atrophy of the cerebellum, as well as nystagmus, a brief, involuntary eye movement.

Fortunately, the involvement of the autonomic nervous system, which maintains vital functions such as breathing, cardiac contractions, etc., is mild in this disease, is mild in this disease.. The most relevant autonomic symptom is the inability to have and maintain an erection, i.e. impotence. However, autonomic symptoms do exist when alcoholic neuropathy is accompanied by a syndrome characteristic of alcohol-dependent persons: Wernicke's disease.

Wernicke's encephalopathy.

Wernicke's encephalopathy, which is not exclusive but is particular to alcoholics, consists in the inability to move the eyes, difficulty in coordinating organized movements and a confusional state. organized movements and a confusional state where the patient is absolutely disoriented. When someone suffers from this disease together with alcoholic neuropathy we speak of polyneuropathies, since both syndromes coexist.

This is a medical emergency which requires the immediate administration of thiamine (vitamin B1). As this symptomatology resolves, the patient begins to show an amnestic picture. This is Korsakoff's psychosis.

Korsakoff's syndrome

The second phase of this syndrome is called Korsakoff's psychosis. It is characterized by the inability to remember past events in time (temporal gaps), confabulation (temporal gaps), confabulation and anterograde amnesia.

Because this pair of syndromes almost always occur together, it is referred to as a single Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a two-phase disease in which the more severe neurological symptoms of the first phase, when resolved, give way to the amnestic phase of the second.

Causes of alcoholic neuropathy

Most neurological diseases associated with alcohol consumption are related to a vitamin deficiency. have to do with a vitamin deficiency.. Alcoholic beverages, in addition to inhibiting hunger through their psychoactive characteristics, contain many calories.

The brain, upon receiving the signal that this hypercaloric intake has occurred, interprets that it should not eat any more and inhibits the hunger signal. Thus, the alcoholic feels satiated despite not having eaten anything nutritious, the alcoholic feels satiated in spite of not having eaten anything nutritious..

In particular, as in Wernicke-Korsakoff's syndrome, thiamine plays a crucial role in the development and resolution of the clinical picture.

1. Thiamine deficiency

A nutritional deficit of this vitamin is frequently found in patients who have chronically abused alcohol, patients who vomit very frequently or patients who have undergone bariatric surgery.

Alcoholic neuropathy caused by thiamine deficiency begins after the body has been deprived of thiamine. begins after the body has been deprived of this vitamin for a long time. It starts with a mild loss of sensation, subtle burning sensations in the toes and cramps in the legs. Later on, sensitivity of the extremities will begin to be lost.

Whether it is a pure alcoholic neuropathy or accompanied by Wernicke-Korsakoff's neuropathy, this deficit will be resolved with intramuscular or intravenous administration of vitamin B1. intramuscular or intravenous administration of vitamin B1..

2. Pyroxidine deficiency

Although more infrequent, it is possible that the neuropathy is partially caused by the absence of vitamin B6. Both its excess and its absence can cause neurological damage.but only its deficiency is found in alcohol abuse. Like thiamine, it can be detected through a Blood test.

3. Pellagra

Pellagra is the deficiency of niacin (vitamin B3) due to malnutrition or alcoholism. The neurological manifestations are variable: they affect the central nervous system as well as the peripheral nerves.

Prognosis

Alcoholic neuropathy is a severe neurological disease that must be treated immediately. Fortunately, its urgent management usually leads to partial recovery.without serious long-term sequelae. Depending on the severity of the condition, the person who has suffered from the disease will take more or less time to recover.

Nowadays it is possible to make an accurate diagnosis of alcoholic neuropathy by means of blood tests to detect vitamin deficiencies and electrodiagnostic tests of nerve conduction and electromyography. electrodiagnostic nerve conduction tests and electromyograms.. In this way, treatment can be administered quickly and effectively for a complete recovery.

Treatment

Medical intervention in cases of alcoholic neuropathy always involves withdrawal of the substance that caused it. In addition, vitamin B supplements, especially B12 and thiamine, are used to promote recovery. In support of this, it is important to ensure that the patient's diet is sufficiently nutritious..