Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome: An Overview

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is a neurological disorder. Wernicke's encephalopathy and Korsakoff's psychosis are the acute and chronic phases, respectively of this disorder. WKS is caused by a deficiency in the Vitamin B1, thiamine. An absence of thiamine results in an inadequate supply of energy to the brain, particularly to the hypothalamus, which regulates body temperature, growth, and appetite, and also has a role in emotional response. The hypothalamus also controls pituitary functions, including metabolism and hormones and mammillary bodies, where neural pathways connect various parts of the brain involved in memory functions. The disease is typically associated with chronic alcoholism, but may be associated with malnutrition or other conditions that cause nutritional deficiencies.