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Wernicke encephalopathy has classically been thought of as a disease solely of people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol, but it is also found in the chronically undernourished, and in recent years has been discovered post bariatric surgery. [11] [39] Without being exhaustive, the documented causes of Wernicke encephalopathy have included:
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is the combined presence of Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) and alcoholic Korsakoff syndrome (AKS [clarification needed]). Due to the close relationship between these two disorders, people with either are usually diagnosed with WKS as a single syndrome.
Delirium tremens was also given an alternate medical definition since at least the 1840s, being known as mania a potu, which translates to 'mania from drink'. [28] The Belgian beer "Delirium Tremens," introduced in 1988, is a direct reference and also uses a pink elephant as its logo to highlight one of the symptoms of delirium tremens. [29] [30]
More severe symptoms may include seizures, and delirium tremens (DTs); which can be fatal in untreated patients. [1] Symptoms start at around 6 hours after the last drink. [2] Peak incidence of seizures occurs at 24 to 36 hours [5] and peak incidence of delirium tremens is at 48 to 72 hours. [6]
Korsakoff's syndrome and Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome are particular forms of alcohol related brain injury which may be related to alcohol related dementia. [18] Many experts use the terms alcohol (or alcoholic) dementia to describe a specific form of ARD, characterized by impaired executive function (planning, thinking, and judgment). [5]
Uncomplicated alcoholics, those with chronic Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE), and Korsakoff psychosis showed significant neuronal loss in the frontal cortex, white matter, hippocampus, and basal forebrain. [14] Uncomplicated alcoholics were seen to have a shrinkage in raphe neurons, the mamillary bodies, and the thalamus. [14]
Korsakoff syndrome (KS) [1] is a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by amnesia, deficits in explicit memory, and confabulation.This neurological disorder is caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B 1) in the brain, and it is typically associated with and exacerbated by the prolonged, excessive ingestion of alcohol. [2]
Alcoholic hallucinosis is a much less serious diagnosis than delirium tremens. Delirium tremens (DTs) do not appear suddenly, unlike alcoholic hallucinosis. DTs also take approximately 48 to 72 hours to appear after the heavy drinking stops. A tremor develops in the hands and can also affect the head and body.