Pharma gyan Pandit

Role of thiamine in Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome

The role of thiamine in the development of Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome is supported by findings that giving this nutrient to patients with Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome reverses many of the acute symptoms of the disease, although in some people certain chronic neuropsychiatric consequences of previous thiamine deficiency may persist even with appropriate treatment. In the most severe cases, these persistent symptoms meet the criteria of full–blown Korsakoff’s psychosis. Other people may exhibit more subtle neurological signs and symptoms, such as abnormalities in a brain region called the cerebellum and an inflammation or degeneration of peripheral nerves (i.e., neuropathy) as well as changes in behavior and problems with learning, memory, and decisionmaking.