'Korsakoff's syndrome' ('Korsakoff's psychosis', 'amnesic-confabulatory syndrome'), is a degenerative brain disorder caused by the lack of
thiamine (vitamin B1) in the
brain. The
syndrome is named after
Sergei Korsakoff, the
neuropsychiatrist who popularized the theory.
Symptoms
There are six major symptoms of Korsakoff's syndrome:
anterograde and
retrograde amnesia, or severe memory loss;
confabulation, that is, invented memories which are then taken as true due to gaps in memory sometimes associated with
blackouts; meager content in conversation; lack of
insight, and
apathy (the patients lose interest in things quickly and generally appear indifferent to change).
These symptoms are caused by a deficiency of
thiamine (vitamin B1), which is thought to cause damage to the
medial thalamus and possibly to the
mammillary bodies of the hypothalamus as well as generalized
cerebral atrophy.
[1]
When
Wernicke's encephalopathy accompanies Korsakoff's syndrome, the combination is called the
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Korsakoff's is a continuum of Wernicke's encephalopathy, though a recognised episode of Wernicke's is not always obvious.
Korsakoff's involves
neuronal loss, that is, damage to
neurons;
gliosis which is a result of damage to supporting cells of the
central nervous system; and
hemorrhage or bleeding in
mammillary bodies. Damage to the
dorsomedial nucleus of the
thalamus is also associated with this disorder.
Indications
★
Ataxia
★
Apathy
★
Retrograde amnesia and
anterograde amnesia
★
Confabulation (inventing events to compensate for gaps in memory)
★ Tremors
★
Paralysis of muscles controlling the eye
★ Lack of insight to the condition
★
Coma
Treatment
Treatment involves replacing the
thiamine by
Intravenous (IV) or
intramuscular (IM) injection, and providing proper
nutrition and
hydration. However, the amnesia and brain damage caused by the disease does not respond to
thiamine replacement therapy. In some cases,
drug therapy is recommended to the
patient. If treatment is successful, signs will show within two years though recovery is slow and often incomplete.
Causes
Conditions resulting in the vitamin deficiency and its effects include chronic
alcoholism, and severe
malnutrition. Alcoholism is often an indicator of poor nutrition, which in addition to
inflammation of the stomach lining, causes thiamine deficiency.
[2] As well as
alcohol abuse, causes include dietary deficiencies, prolonged vomiting,
eating disorders, or the effects of
chemotherapy. It can also occur in pregnant women who have a form of extreme morning sickness known as
hyperemesis gravidarum.
[3] Mercury poisoning can also cause it.
Case studies
A famous case study is recounted by
Oliver Sacks in "The Lost Mariner", which can be found in ''
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat''.
Another case is that of the Australian artist
Charles Blackman.
[4]
In popular culture
★ In the movie ''
Clean Slate'', Dana Carvey's character suffers from Korsakoff's syndrome.
★ In the fictional show ''
House'', episode "
Histories", the clinic patient suffers from Korsakoff's
★ In the fictional show ''
Masters of Science Fiction'' episode "
A Clean Escape"
★ In the novel ''
Mona Lisa Overdrive'', the character Slick was
incarcerated in a "chemo-penal unit" with "induced Korsakov's" [sic]
References
1. Kolb & Whishaw: ''Fundamentals of Human Neuropsychology'', 2003, pages 473-473
2. http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/Facts_about_dementia/What_is_dementia/info_korsakoffs.htm
3. http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/common/standard/transform.jsp?requestURI=/healthatoz/Atoz/ency/korsakoffs_syndrome.jsp
4. http://www.theage.com.au/news/arts/artists-wonderland-is-back-in-town/2006/07/28/1153816384482.html
External links
★
''Strangers'' is a play by
Edward Einhorn based on the syndrome.
★
The Merck Manual:
Function And Dysfunction Of The Cerebral Lobes -
Amnesias - Korsakoff's syndrome
★
Simple description of Korsakoff's syndrome
العربية
中国
Français
Deutsch
Ελληνική
हिन्दी
Italiano
日本語
Português
Русский
Español
