Korsakoff Syndrome (Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome)

An acquired cognitive disorder characterized by inattentiveness and the inability to form short term memories. This disorder is frequently associated with chronic ALCOHOLISM; but it may also result from dietary deficiencies; CRANIOCEREBRAL TRAUMA; NEOPLASMS; CEREBROVASCULAR DISORDERS; ENCEPHALITIS; EPILEPSY; and other conditions. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, p1139)

Also Known As:

Networked: 126 relevant articles (4 outcomes, 6 trials/studies)

Relationship Network

Disease Context: Research Results

Related Diseases

1.	Dementia (Dementias)
2.	Confusion (Bewilderment)
3.	Ophthalmoplegia (External Ophthalmoplegia)
4.	Alcoholism (Alcohol Abuse)
5.	Thiamine Deficiency

Experts

1.	Harper, Clive: 4 articles (03/2009 - 09/2003)
2.	Savage, Lisa M: 3 articles (10/2008 - 01/2004)
3.	Savage, L M: 2 articles (01/2015 - 01/2014)
4.	Vetreno, Ryan P: 2 articles (10/2008 - 07/2008)
5.	Jauhar, Pramod: 2 articles (08/2005 - 03/2005)
6.	Thomson, Allan D: 2 articles (08/2005 - 12/2002)
7.	Siessmeier, Thomas: 2 articles (03/2004 - 10/2003)
8.	Fellgiebel, Andreas: 2 articles (03/2004 - 10/2003)
9.	Schmidt, Lutz G: 2 articles (03/2004 - 10/2003)
10.	Bartenstein, Peter: 2 articles (03/2004 - 10/2003)

Drugs and Biologics

Drugs and Important Biological Agents (IBA) related to Korsakoff Syndrome:

1.	Thiamine (Aneurin)FDA Link 08/01/1981 - "Neither thiamine nor TTFD produced clinical improvement in the mental symptoms of Wernicke-Korsakoff psychosis unless administered early in the course of the disease." 04/01/1979 - "The authors study the role of thiamine-deficient diets in genetic variations contributing to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome." 09/01/2014 - "Urgent and adequate thiamine replacement is necessary to avoid death or progression to Korsakoff syndrome with largely irreversible brain damage. " 01/01/2014 - "Databases and registries such as PubMed, Cochrane and Ovid were searched for a defined time period with the key words 'lack of thiamine' / 'Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome' / 'encephalopathy' after bariatric surgical interventions. " 04/01/2013 - "Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, the underlying cause of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, is associated with the development of focal neuronal loss in vulnerable areas of the brain. "
2.	Memantine (Namenda)FDA Link 01/01/2003 - "The preliminarily findings of this study with 16 patients suggested that memantine is effective in the treatment of dementia in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome." 01/01/2003 - "In this study, for the first time in dementia of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, the response to memantine was assessed. " 01/01/2003 - "A placebo-controlled study of memantine (Ebixa) in dementia of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome." 01/01/2003 - "We evaluated the responses of 16 patients to preliminarily explore the spectrum of effectiveness and tolerability of the memantine, and NMDA antagonist, in the treatment of dementia in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. "
3.	TransketolaseIBA 05/01/1999 - "It has been suggested that the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is associated with a genetic variant of transketolase which requires a higher than normal concentration of thiamin diphosphate for activity. " 06/01/1997 - "A transketolase assembly defect in a Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome patient." 03/01/1995 - "Molecular genetics of transketolase in the pathogenesis of the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome." 02/01/1993 - "An enzymatic and immunochemical analysis of transketolase in fibroblasts from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome." 03/31/1992 - "Transketolase is a key enzyme in the pentose-phosphate pathway which has been implicated in the latent human genetic disease, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. "
4.	Thiamine PyrophosphateIBA 04/01/1987 - "This study was undertaken to delineate whether transketolase abnormality (i.e., high Michaelis Menton constant (Km) for thiamine pyrophosphate), previously reported in patients with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is prevalent among familial chronic alcoholic men and their sons without prior history of alcohol abuse but who are at high risk for alcoholism. " 04/01/1987 - "Our data suggest that an inborn error (i.e., high Km of transketolase for thiamine pyrophosphate) predisposing to thiamine deficiency diseases similar to those reported in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome may occur in the general population. " 08/01/1981 - "Erythrocyte transketolase activity and the effect of adding thiamine pyrophosphate (% TPP effect) were measured in subjects suffering from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome both before and during treatment with thiamine and/or thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryldisulphide (TTFD). " 11/01/1986 - "We studied a thiamine-dependent enzyme, transketolase, from fibroblasts of a diabetic patient who developed Wernicke's encephalopathy when treated with tolazamide, in order to delineate if this patient also had transketolase abnormality [high Km for thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP)], as previously reported in postalcoholic Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. "
5.	EnzymesIBA 08/01/2011 - "A decreased activity of these enzymes due to TDP deficiency results in disorders such as beriberi and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. " 10/01/1993 - "Results of this study demonstrate significant reductions of TPP-dependent enzymes [pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (alpha KGDH), and transketolase] in autopsied cerebellar vermis samples from alcoholic patients with the clinical and neuropathologically confirmed diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS). "
6.	Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex (Dehydrogenase Complex, Pyruvate)IBA 10/01/1993 - "Results of this study demonstrate significant reductions of TPP-dependent enzymes [pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (alpha KGDH), and transketolase] in autopsied cerebellar vermis samples from alcoholic patients with the clinical and neuropathologically confirmed diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS). "
7.	Ketoglutarate Dehydrogenase Complex (Oxoglutarate Dehydrogenase)IBA 10/01/1993 - "Results of this study demonstrate significant reductions of TPP-dependent enzymes [pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, alpha-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase (alpha KGDH), and transketolase] in autopsied cerebellar vermis samples from alcoholic patients with the clinical and neuropathologically confirmed diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS). "
8.	Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)FDA LinkGeneric 05/01/1980 - "Three drugs, d-amphetamine, clonidine, and methysertide, which presumably enhance central noradrenergic activity by different pharmacological mechanisms, were administered to eight patients with the Korsakoff syndrome in a two-week subacute, double-blind, counterbalanced experiment to study the effects of these agents on memory function as measured by a neuropsychological test battery. "
9.	Clonidine (ST 155)FDA LinkGeneric 05/01/1980 - "Three drugs, d-amphetamine, clonidine, and methysertide, which presumably enhance central noradrenergic activity by different pharmacological mechanisms, were administered to eight patients with the Korsakoff syndrome in a two-week subacute, double-blind, counterbalanced experiment to study the effects of these agents on memory function as measured by a neuropsychological test battery. "
10.	PyrithiamineIBA 01/31/2014 - "In a series of experiments, we first examined whether VEx would restore and retain neurotrophin levels in several cortical regions (frontal cortex [FC], retrosplenial cortex [RSC], occipital cortex [OC]) in an animal model (pyrithiamine-induced thiamine deficiency [PTD]) of the amnestic disorder Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. " 10/09/2008 - "Pyrithiamine-induced thiamine deficiency (PTD) was used to produce a rodent model of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome that results in acute neurological disturbances, thalamic lesions, and learning and memory impairments. " 01/05/2004 - "A rodent model of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome (WKS), acute pyrithiamine-induced thiamine deficiency (PTD), produces diencephalic damage and impairments of memory similar to what is seen in WKS patients. " 10/01/1999 - "Pyrithiamine-induced thiamine deficiency (PTD), which has been used as a model of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), produces a range of neuropathological and behavioral abnormalities in rodents. " 07/01/2008 - "A commonly employed animal model of diencephalic amnesia, pyrithiamine-induced thiamine deficiency (PTD), results in brain lesions and impairments similar in nature and distribution to those observed in humans with Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS). "

Therapies and Procedures

1.	Intravenous Infusions 01/01/2000 - "[A case of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome with dramatic improvement in consciousness immediately after intravenous infusion of thiamine]."
2.	Gastrectomy 05/01/1988 - "[Post-gastrectomy Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome: clinical study of 2 cases]." 09/01/1998 - "However, it is not well known that Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome may occur after a long latent interval following gastrectomy. " 09/01/1998 - "Development of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome after long intervals following gastrectomy." 06/01/1983 - "Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome after subtotal gastrectomy." 09/01/1998 - "In addition to a long-standing latent deficiency in thiamin levels due to defective absorption following gastrectomy or gastrojejunostomy, other minor factors that may influence the intake of thiamin and the need for thiamin in subjects who have undergone gastrectomy may cause a state of thiamin deficiency resulting in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. "
3.	Gastric Bypass (Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass) 09/01/2005 - "Eating avoidance disorder and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome following gastric bypass: an under-diagnosed association." 05/01/1993 - "[A case of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome caused by gastrojejunostomy--specific findings of MRI and SPECT]." 09/01/1998 - "In addition to a long-standing latent deficiency in thiamin levels due to defective absorption following gastrectomy or gastrojejunostomy, other minor factors that may influence the intake of thiamin and the need for thiamin in subjects who have undergone gastrectomy may cause a state of thiamin deficiency resulting in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. " 05/01/1993 - "A history of gastrojejunostomy, even if normal intake is possible, is a risk factor for vitamin B1 deficiency, and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome."
4.	Transplantation (Transplant Recipients) 11/01/1996 - "Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in a liver transplant recipient." 12/01/2001 - "Herpesvirus-6 encephalitis complicated by Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in a pediatric recipient of unrelated cord blood transplantation."
5.	Bariatric Surgery 09/01/2005 - "Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) and disordered eating behavior have been reported separately after bariatric surgery. "