1,437 results match your criteria: "Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome"

Wernicke's encephalopathy, the acute phase of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, is characterised as a triad of altered mental status, ocular signs and ataxia. Our patient presented with hyperemesis gravidarum, which is a rare aetiology of Wernicke's encephalopathy. The patient did not have any oculomotor abnormalities, which are more common and classically described in Wernicke's triad.

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Article Synopsis
  • * This review examines the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions for apathy across different conditions similar to KS, including dementia, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and traumatic brain injury, drawing on 22 systematic reviews and 32 empirical studies.
  • * Successful interventions for severely cognitively impaired individuals rely on external stimulation rather than intrinsic motivation, highlighting the need to tailor treatments to the individual's interests and assess the specific apathetic behaviors before starting any intervention.
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Social norms in Korsakoff's syndrome and alcohol-related dementia.

J Clin Exp Neuropsychol

November 2024

Department of Neurology and Alzheimer Center Erasmus MC, Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Article Synopsis
  • Social cognition is crucial for interpreting social information, and this study examined its impairment in individuals with Korsakoff's syndrome (KS) and alcohol-related dementia (ARD) compared to healthy controls.
  • The study included 30 KS patients, 10 ARD patients, and 74 matched controls, using the Social Norms Questionnaire to measure social cognition.
  • Results indicated that both KS and ARD patients struggled more with judging social norms than controls, with KS patients making significantly more judgment errors, highlighting the social behavior challenges faced by these patients.
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Relationship between alcohol consumption and cognitive impairment in the adult population over 60 years of age: A systematic review.

Rev Colomb Psiquiatr (Engl Ed)

November 2024

Instituto de Neuropsiquiatría y Adicciones (INAD), Centros Asistenciales Dr. Emili Mira i López (CAEMIL-Recinto Torribera), Parc de Salut Mar, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona, Spain.

Article Synopsis
  • Alcohol consumption is linked to cognitive impairment in individuals aged 60 and older, with both excessive and moderate drinking influencing cognitive health.
  • A systematic review of studies from 2010 to 2020 identified that excessive and prolonged alcohol use can lead to serious forms of dementia and cognitive impairment, citing notable disorders like Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
  • The cognitive functions most impacted by alcohol use disorder include executive functions, visuospatial skills, attention, and memory, emphasizing the risks associated with high levels of alcohol intake.
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Beyond the Liver: Neurologic Manifestations of Alcohol Use.

Clin Liver Dis

November 2024

Department of Internal Medicine, University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine, 1400 West 22nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57105, USA; Division of Hepatology, Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, 1315 South Cliff Avenue, Suite 1200 Plaza 3, Sioux Falls, SD 57105, USA. Electronic address:

Article Synopsis
  • Alcohol use not only harms the liver but also significantly affects the nervous system, often mimicking hepatic encephalopathy, making diagnosis challenging.
  • It disrupts neurotransmitter balance, especially between gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate, and chronic use, along with thiamine deficiency, leads to long-term neurological issues.
  • Alcohol-related neurological disorders range from acute symptoms like intoxication and withdrawal to chronic conditions such as Korsakoff syndrome, dementia, and peripheral neuropathy, emphasizing the need for careful diagnosis through medical history and exams.
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Compensation patterns and altered functional connectivity in alcohol use disorder with and without Korsakoff's syndrome.

Brain Commun

September 2024

Normandie Université, UNICAEN, INSERM, U1237, PhIND 'Physiopathology and Imaging of Neurological Disorders', Team NeuroPresage, Institut Blood and Brain @ Caen-Normandie, Cyceron, 14000 Caen, France.

Article Synopsis
  • Alcohol use disorder is a chronic condition that leads to harmful impacts on a person’s overall health, which can also result in Korsakoff's syndrome, a serious complication marked by significant memory problems.
  • This study aimed to analyze how long-term alcohol consumption affects brain connectivity, specifically in areas known as the fronto-cerebellar and Papez circuits, and to identify unique connectivity issues in patients with Korsakoff's syndrome.
  • Researchers conducted neuropsychological assessments and resting-state functional MRI on both healthy individuals and those with alcohol use disorder to discover reduced connectivity efficiency in the brain's circuits and to explore the relationship between brain function and cognitive abilities in the context of these conditions.
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Low expression of thiamine pyrophosphokinase-1 contributes to brain susceptibility to thiamine deficiency.

Neuroreport

October 2024

Department of Neurology, Zhongshan Hospital; State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science; Institutes of Brain Science; National Clinical Research Center for Aging and Medicine, Huashan Hospital; Fudan University.

Article Synopsis
  • Thiamine deficiency is linked to severe brain disorders like Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff syndrome, but how this happens is not fully understood.
  • The study analyzed specific genes involved in thiamine metabolism in different tissues (brain, kidney, liver) of mice, finding that expression of thiamine pyrophosphokinase-1 (TPK) was significantly lower in the brain.
  • Results showed that low TPK levels in the brain increase vulnerability to thiamine deficiency, leading to neuron loss and other harmful effects, suggesting TPK plays a crucial role in brain health.
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  • Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) can lead to various neuro-ophthalmic symptoms like vision loss, and this case highlights a 53-year-old woman who experienced bilateral painless vision decline alongside other neurological issues.* -
  • Despite elevated inflammatory markers and a thorough work-up revealing no clear cause, brain MRI indicated possible WE, prompting immediate high-dose thiamine treatment, which led to significant improvement.* -
  • The case stresses the importance of considering vision loss in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) patients and suggests that while checking thiamine levels is important, starting treatment based on clinical suspicion is often necessary and safe.*
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Article Synopsis
  • Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is a condition caused by thiamine deficiency, often related to alcoholism but can also result from other factors like malabsorption and dialysis.
  • A patient initially diagnosed with acute metabolic encephalopathy experienced ongoing cognitive decline despite treatment for sepsis and kidney issues, prompting further investigation.
  • High-dose thiamine was administered after brain MRI indicated potential WE, leading to the patient's quick cognitive recovery and successful hospital discharge without complications.
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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers have rediscovered a previously forgotten phenotype of Alzheimer's disease (AD) called presbyophrenia, now referred to as the confabulation-misidentification phenotype.
  • This phenotype is characterized by symptoms similar to Korsakoff syndrome, including severe memory loss, disorientation, confabulation, and additional cognitive impairments.
  • The article summarizes findings about this phenotype and highlights areas that require further investigation to confirm its status as a variant of Alzheimer's disease.
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Article Synopsis
  • * This study investigates how chronic alcohol consumption causes brain damage and tests Memantine, a drug that may protect against this damage, especially in the hippocampus.
  • * Results indicate Memantine can improve cognitive functions and reduce brain damage by stabilizing the brain's structural components affected by alcohol, suggesting new treatment approaches for ARCI.
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  • * A case study of a 45-year-old woman showed altered mental status, nausea, vomiting, and weakness; her condition was attributed to a thiamine deficiency due to prolonged vomiting and poor nutrition, while other potential causes were ruled out.
  • * After treatment with thiamine, the patient's condition improved significantly, underscoring the need for healthcare providers to consider thiamine deficiency in cases of malnutrition related to digestive issues and neurological symptoms, even though it's
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Article Synopsis
  • A case series documented three obese women who developed Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) and dry beriberi after undergoing vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) between May 2021 and May 2023.
  • All patients showed symptoms like hyperemesis, weakness, and ocular abnormalities two weeks post-surgery, leading to a thorough neurological evaluation and initiation of thiamine replacement therapy.
  • One year later, the patients experienced lasting cognitive and behavioral issues, with two being diagnosed with Korsakoff syndrome and all showing signs of sensorimotor polyneuropathy, highlighting the need for increased awareness and early intervention among healthcare providers.
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Personality traits and personality problems in Korsakoff syndrome patients.

J Clin Exp Neuropsychol

April 2024

Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Article Synopsis
  • Personality research helps uncover the psychological strengths and weaknesses of individuals, which is particularly relevant for understanding patients with Korsakoff's syndrome (KS), a neuropsychiatric disorder often linked to severe alcohol-use issues.
  • An exploratory study involving 30 institutionalized KS patients found that they exhibited more psychotic personality traits compared to a psychiatric reference group, indicating a higher risk for severe psychiatric complications.
  • Informants noted that KS patients displayed a range of personality issues, including emotional instability and social avoidance, while patients themselves often lacked self-awareness about their conditions; hence, psycho-educational training for healthcare teams is recommended to support these patients.
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Article Synopsis
  • Chronic heavy alcohol use can lead to brain damage and cognitive disorders, but little research has focused on the criminal behavior of those with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) and alcohol-related dementia (ARD).
  • A study analyzed a population in Finland from 1998 to 2015, finding that 35.6% of WKS patients and 23.6% of ARD patients committed crimes in the four years before diagnosis, primarily property and traffic offenses.
  • After diagnosis, the rate of criminal behavior significantly decreased for both groups, indicating that diagnosis may lead to a reduction in crime rates.
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Article Synopsis
  • Korsakoff syndrome and Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) are neurological conditions usually linked to chronic alcohol consumption, resulting in cognitive and physical deficits.
  • A tailored rehabilitation protocol including cognitive and physical interventions, along with thiamine supplementation, showed significant improvement in a 49-year-old male patient's cognitive function and independence.
  • The case study highlights the need for personalized rehabilitation strategies that integrate physiotherapy with cognitive care to enhance overall quality of life for patients with WKS.
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Article Synopsis
  • A child with steroid-dependent nephrotic syndrome experienced severe symptoms including irritability, double vision, and inability to walk for 5 days.
  • MRI results showed abnormal brain activity in areas linked to Wernicke encephalopathy (WE), prompting thiamine treatment.
  • After thiamine supplementation, the child's symptoms improved significantly, and follow-up at 3 months showed no remaining issues; however, WE should still be considered in similar pediatric cases.
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Article Synopsis
  • - Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS) is a serious neurological condition mainly caused by a lack of thiamine, often linked to alcohol use, but can also arise from diet issues or other health problems.
  • - A 28-year-old woman developed WKS after surgery for pancreatitis, showing severe cognitive challenges, including poor memory and planning skills, along with physical issues.
  • - Treatment involved high-dose thiamine and therapy, leading to notable improvements in her cognitive and physical conditions within three months, emphasizing the need for quick, coordinated medical care.
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Silent Echoes: A Case Report of Wernicke Encephalopathy's Unheard Voice.

Cureus

January 2024

Graduate Medical Education, Piedmont Athens Regional, Athens, USA.

Article Synopsis
  • Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) is a severe neurological condition primarily caused by thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, often linked to alcohol use disorder but also seen in malnourished individuals.
  • A case study discussed a 64-year-old woman with alcohol use disorder who showed symptoms like confusion and specific eye movement issues, with MRI revealing brain abnormalities indicating WE.
  • The key treatment for WE is high-dose intravenous thiamine, which improved the patient’s condition before discharge, highlighting the importance of early diagnosis despite the challenges due to the symptoms not always presenting in the classic triad.
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Acute amnestic syndrome in fornix lesions: a systematic review of reported cases with a focus on differential diagnosis.

Front Neurol

January 2024

Department of Emergency Neurology and Stroke Unit, IRCCS Fondazione Mondino, Pavia, Italy.

Article Synopsis
  • Acute amnestic syndrome is a rare neurological condition often confused with other disorders like Wernicke-Korsakoff and transient global amnesia, with structural lesions in the fornix being a less common cause.
  • A systematic review of the literature identified 55 cases, mostly due to vascular causes, with 74% linked specifically to acute ischemic strokes, leading to mainly anterograde amnesia.
  • Diagnosis is difficult due to overlapping symptoms with other conditions, and many patients continue to experience memory deficits even after initial treatment.
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[Memory diseases].

Rev Prat

December 2023

Centre mémoire de ressources et de recherche (CMRR) de Strasbourg-Colmar, France. Pôle de gérontologie, Hôpitaux civils de Colmar, Colmar, France.

Article Synopsis
  • - Memory diseases permanently disrupt long-term memory by affecting specific neural circuits, particularly the Papez circuit, leading to problems with episodic memory while semantic memory often remains intact.
  • - Damage to the anterior temporal pole impacts semantic memory, causing significant amnesia characterized primarily by the loss of general knowledge.
  • - The most common cause of memory diseases is neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's, but other factors such as infections, toxic conditions, and trauma can also lead to varying memory disorders with additional cognitive challenges.
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Article Synopsis
  • * Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is an acute neurological disorder caused by a deficiency in thiamine, comprising two phases: Wernicke Encephalopathy (characterized by mental confusion, ocular signs, and ataxia) and Korsakoff's syndrome (marked by anterograde amnesia and confabulation).
  • * A case report highlighted a 24-year-old female student with a BMI of 48 who developed WKS after sleeve gastrectomy, leading to severe symptoms including ocular issues
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