Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

Injury	Disease	Nutrition	Poison

Symptoms	Surgery	Test	Special Topic

Central nervous system

Overview

Symptoms

Treatment

Prevention

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

Alternative Names:

Korsakoff psychosis; Alcoholic encephalopathy; Encephalopathy - alcoholic; Wernicke's disease

Prevention:

Abstinence or moderate alcohol use and adequate nutrition reduce the risk of developing Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. If a heavy drinker is determined not to quit, thiamine supplementation and a good diet may help prevent the development of this condition, but not if damage has already occurred.

Review Date: 7/20/2004
Reviewed By: Joseph V. Campellone, M.D., Division of Neurology, Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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