Wernicke-Korsakoff amnestic syndrome secondary to malnutrition in a patient with schizoaffective disorder.
OBJECTIVE
The authors identify a rare case of Wernicke-Korsakoff amnestic syndrome and highlight its occurrence in the absence of alcohol dependence.


METHODS
A longitudinal case history of a patient with schizoaffective disorder who developed Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome secondary to malnutrition.


RESULTS
Refusal to eat based on persecutory delusions in chronic psychotic patients can cause malnutrition and result in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.


CONCLUSIONS
With increasing managed-care demands for outpatient treatment of chronic psychotic patients, physicians may see more cases of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in psychiatric populations.
Newman
M E
ME
Department of Psychiatry, WSUSOM, Dayton VA Medical Center, Ohio 45284, USA.
Adityanjee
Sobolewski
E
E
Jampala
V C
VC
D000647:Amnesia / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology; D013577:Syndrome; D013702:Temporal Lobe