Alcoholism and Vitamin Deficiency - Treatment and Recovery
Korsakoff’s syndrome, which is also known as amnesic-confabulatory syndrome or Korsakoff’s psychosis, is caused by a deficiency of thiamine or vitamin B1 in the brain. The disorder is named after the Russian neuropsychiatrist, Sergei Korsakoff, who discovered and popularized the theory.
How does Korsakoff’s syndrome manifest itself?
There are six major symptoms of Korsakoff's syndrome:
* Anterograde Amnesia - a loss of memory of what happens after the injury that caused the amnesia.
* Retrograde Amnesia - where events prior to the injury-causing one are forgotten. To a large degree, anterograde amnesia remains a mysterious ailment because the precise mechanism of storing memories is not yet well-understood, although scientists know which regions of the brain are involved.
* Apathy- individuals don’t have interest in things for very long and seem indifferent to change.
* Little content is offered in conversations and a lack of insight.
* Confabulation – are memories that are invented to fill in gaps of memories. These gaps are usually associated with blackouts.
Other signs that are associated with Korsakoff’s include: ataxia, tremors, paralysis of eye muscles, coma and lack of insight into the severity of the condition.
How does this occur?
Causes
There are several conditions or behaviors that can lead to Korsakoff’s including:
Chronic alcoholism which is automatically correlated with vitamin deficiency and malnutrition is a precursor to Korsakoff’s. As alcohol can irritate and inflame the stomach lining, thiamine deficiency can occur.
Other dietary deficiencies causing Korsakoff’s include prolonged vomiting, eating disorders, or from the effects of chemotherapy. This can also occur in pregnant women due to a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum, which is extreme morning sickness. Mercury poisoning has also been known to cause the disorder. (end of part 1)
