Wernicke-korsakoff Syndrome

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a combination of Korsakoff's syndrome which constitutes confusion, aphonia and confabulation; and Wernicke's encephalopathy which is nystagmus, opthalmoplegia, coma and, if untreated, death. It is also known as cerebral beriberi, which is beriberi (thiamine deficiency disease) in the brain.

Causes

This condition results from severe acute deficiency of thiamine superimposed on a chronic deficiency. Thiamine is a cofactor in glucose metabolism, and so anything that encourages glucose metabolism without replenishing thiamine stores may result in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. It is usually found in malnourished chronic alcoholics, though it is also found in patients who undergo prolonged intravenous (IV) therapy, gastric stapling or intensive care unit (ICU) patients. The site of damage in the brain is the mammillary bodies.

Diagnosis

The diagnosis can be confirmed by measuring blood levels of thiamine. The treatment for this is to reverse the thiamine deficiency by giving supplemental thiamine - usually by starting with an initial intravenous or intramuscular dose followed by supplemental oral doses.

External link

 

<< PreviousWord BrowserNext >>
legion software
hideaki anno
thomas walker (naval officer)
council for secular humanism
american humanist association
rico (disambiguation)
treaty of alcaovas
nueil sous faye
gunship
paulie ayala
charge card
stressed eric
walter pater
intelligentsia
the wang center for the performing arts
the wang theatre
shubert theatre
reginald hill
aripiprazole
george bingham, 3rd earl of lucan
ethmoid bone
nure
coxsackie, new york
ecclesia gnostica
gnostic society
johnson
noah wyle
evan hunter
eugenio montale
julia caesaris
episiotomy
american wire gauge
pannonian plain
kennel club (uk)
bogdan raczynski
cactus plugging
mehdi muhammed ghezali
storsien
lbau zittau
87th precinct
list of roman battles
isola
distributed language translation
list of endangered languages