What syndrome may alcoholics experience that relates to a deficiency in vitamin B1?

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is a condition related to thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, which is often seen in individuals who consume excessive amounts of alcohol. The syndrome presents in two stages: Wernicke's encephalopathy and Korsakoff syndrome.

Wernicke's encephalopathy manifests as acute neurological symptoms including confusion, ataxia, and ophthalmoplegia due to the effects of thiamine deficiency on the brain, particularly affecting areas like the thalamus and hypothalamus. If not addressed promptly with thiamine supplementation, many of these patients can progress to Korsakoff syndrome, characterized by more severe cognitive issues, particularly impairments in memory and learning, often marked by confabulation and anterograde amnesia.

This particular link between alcohol consumption and thiamine deficiency arises because chronic alcohol intake can disrupt the absorption of thiamine and its conversion into active forms, compounding the risk of developing these neurological deficits.

Fetal Alcohol Syndrome involves prenatal exposure to alcohol and is related to developmental issues in infants, rather than thiamine deficiency in the mother or the effects of chronic alcohol abuse. Alcohol-Induced Dementia also describes cognitive decline due to chronic alcohol use but doesn't