Multimodal sensory discrimination deficits in Korsakoff's psychosis.
A consistent impairment in odor identification was observed among a group of 21 amnesic patients, diagnosed as having Korsakoff's psychosis. In a subsequent study of eight Korsakoff and matched alcoholic control subjects, a comparable olfactory deficit was again demonstrated, as well as impairment in color discrimination and auditory perception. No such deficit was observed for a picture identification task designed to control for the non-sensory demands of the olfactory test. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed a significant correlation between odor identification scores and the concentration of the primary metabolite of norepinephrine in lumbar cerebrospinal fluid. The data demonstrate a consistent coincidence between memory impairment and deficient sensory perception among patients with Korsakoff's psychosis.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000425:Alcohol Amnestic Disorder / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D003118:Color Perception; D004192:Discrimination, Psychological / Q000502:physiology*; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008875:Middle Aged; D012903:Smell / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*
D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D006719:Homovanillic Acid