Increased cerebellar PET glucose metabolism corresponds to ataxia in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate a possible relationship between cerebellar glucose metabolism and recovery from ataxia in the first months of acute Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.


METHODS
Two cases of alcoholic Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome were followed up with the clinical status and cerebral glucose metabolism over a 4- and 9-month period.


RESULTS
Initially both patients showed severe ataxia and elevated cerebellar glucose metabolism that decreased corresponding to the restitution of stance and gait.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased cerebellar glucose metabolism at the onset of the illness may reflect the reorganization process of disturbed motor skills and may indicate cerebellar plasticity.
Departments of Psychiatry and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital of Mainz, Mainz, Germany. fellgiebel@psychiatrie.klinik.uni-mainz.de
Andreas
A
Fellgiebel
Thomas
T
Siessmeier
Georg
G
Winterer
Hartmut
H
Lüddens
Klaus
K
Mann
Lutz G
LG
Schmidt
Peter
P
Bartenstein
D000328:Adult; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D020915:Korsakoff Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*
D005947:Glucose