Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome of nonalcoholic origin.
We describe a patient who developed a severe loss of memory following intravenous feeding and intestinal surgery. The pattern of both anterograde and retrograde memory impairment and frontal pathology is shown to be comparable with that observed in patients with Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome of an alcoholic etiology. The data strengthen the view that the essential characteristics of the Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome are not dependent on a prior history of chronic alcoholism. Implications of these data for the interpretation of alcoholic Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome are considered.
Parkin
A J
AJ
Laboratory of Experimental Psychology, Sussex University, Brighton, England.
Blunden
J
J
Rees
J E
JE
Hunkin
N M
NM
D000328:Adult; D000425:Alcohol Amnestic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D013832:Thiamine Deficiency / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014899:Wernicke Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology