Korsakoff’s syndrome is not something you’re likely to have heard of unless you, or someone close to you have received a diagnosis of the condition.
What is Korsakoff syndrome?
Korsakoff’s syndrome is a condition that is usually associated with dementia through the chronic abuse of alcohol. Although the syndrome can indeed cause memory loss, it differs from other types of dementia in that it can be treated very successfully and sometimes, if caught quickly enough, a full recovery is possible.
Three facts worth knowing about Korsakoff Syndrome
- Korsakoff syndrome accounted for 10 percent of dementia in young people aged 45-65, and it affects more men than women.
- Korsakoff syndrome occurs due to chronic lack of vitamin B1 that affects the brain and nervous system. Vitamin B1 is also known as thiamine.
- Although alcohol abuse is the most common cause, severe disorders such as anorexia nervosa, can also cause Korsakoff’s syndrome because it also depletes the body of essential vitamins.
Korsakoff syndrome gets its name from the neurologist Sergei Korsakoff of Russia, who discovered it in the 1800s. Find out more about Korsakoff Syndrome at a site like https://www.arbdcare.co.uk/what-is-korsakoff-syndrome/
Effects on the body
Excessive consumption of alcohol lowers the concentration of important vitamins inside the body. This includes thiamine, otherwise known as vitamin B1. The nervous system and brain will no longer function correctly, leading to memory loss and other symptoms as well as problems of balance, unusual movements of the eyes and personality changes.
