Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome: causes and symptoms

What is this syndrome that affects memory and what can sufferers do?

The functioning of memory in humans is one of the most complex and difficult aspects to study in the field of psychology and cognitive sciences.

However, there are a number of disorders that serve to help better understand the fundamentals of memory. Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is one of them.

What is Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome?

To summarize, 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's encephalopathy and Wernicke's encephalopathy and Korsakoff's syndrome.

We will learn about each of these pathologies, as well as their main symptoms and some possible forms of treatment.

Wernicke's Encephalopathy

This is a neurological disease caused by a lack of thiamine. Its symptoms have to do with incoordination when performing the movements necessary for walking (ataxia), problems when moving the eyes and the appearance of a state of constant confusion.

Korsakoff's syndrome

In Korsakoff's Syndrome, or Korsakoff's psychosisits symptoms are more developed with memory problems, to the point that this syndrome is usually included in the types of amnesia.

Thus, the Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is a picture of symptoms that encompasses the problems that appear in both Wernicke's Encephalopathy and those associated with Korsakoff's Psychosis. While the symptoms of the former manifest in an acute symptomatic peak, those of Korsakoff's syndrome are chronic..

The spectrum of symptoms related to Korsakoff's syndrome usually appears as the symptoms of Wernicke's encephalopathy disappear.

Symptoms of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

The diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome can only be made by medically trained specialists. However, it is good to to recognize the main symptoms by which these experts are guided in detecting the syndrome, in order to know whether a person should visit a doctor or not.

The main symptoms related to Wernicke's encephalopathy are these:

• The appearance of tremors in the legs and difficulties in coordinating the movements necessary for walking.

• The appearance of strange eye movements that make it difficult to see well: nystagmus, double vision, etc.

• A state of confusion or apathy appears, which cannot be explained that cannot be explained in any other way than by neurological damage.

The symptoms of Korsakoff's syndrome have to do rather with the memory, and they are these:

• Anterograde amnesiathat is to say, inability to form new memories from the moment the syndrome appears. Almost everything that is experienced is forgotten soon after it has been experienced.

• Retrograde amnesiathat is to say, inability or serious difficulties to remember some important episodes of the past.

• Fabulationthat is to say, invention of history to "fill in" those gaps that are not remembered, usually unconsciously.

The causes of this syndrome

The lack of vitamin B1 related to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is usually associated with the consumption of vitamin B1. 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's Syndrome is caused by damage to more distributed areas related to memory both in the memorization of information and the retrieval of memories.

Possible treatments

Currently, there is no cure for Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, so treatment is aimed at preventing the symptoms from worsening and controlling their effects as much as possible so that the person's quality of life worsens as little as possible.

The treatments, which must always be directed by a specialist, usually address the syndrome through the prevention of continued alcohol consumption.The symptoms that may remit more easily are those that have to do with motor coordination and eye movement, but those that have to do with cognitive abilities usually do not improve and, if not properly treated, can lead to a significant improvement.

The symptoms that may remit more easily are those that have to do with motor coordination and eye movement, but those that have to do with cognitive abilities usually do not improve and, if not adequately treated, may worsen until they lead to coma and death.