How do you distinguish Korsakow syndrome from dementia? | Korsakov Syndrome

How do you distinguish Korsakow syndrome from dementia?

The Korsakow syndrome is generally assigned to the so-called anamnestic syndromes and not to the form of dementia. While the marked decrease in memory and disorientation can also be signs of dementia, the two groups of diseases differ significantly in other aspects.

  • Anamnestic syndromes, such as the Korsakow syndrome, are characterized by a decreasing memory capacity. However, severe limitations of some cognitive abilities are rarely found, as is the case with certain forms of dementia.
  • Distinguishing between the anamnestic syndromes and dementia diseases is particularly important for planning further therapy, since in Korsakow’s syndrome patients can improve many cognitive functions to a certain extent through appropriate training.

These are the symptoms of a Korsakow syndrome

The symptom spectrum of Korsakov’s syndrome encompasses a number of different neurological and psychological symptoms, which are relatively specific to this clinical picture in their constellation. In addition to the memory disorder, there are a number of other symptoms. For example, patients often exhibit a lack of drive and reduced emotional vibration, which can even lead to the diagnosis of depression.

Orientation disorders, sleep disorders and fatigue can also occur. It is not uncommon for those affected to complain of so-called polyneuropathies, sensitive sensations that can go as far as severe pain, and are usually due to excessive alcohol consumption.

  • The leading symptom of the disease is a pronounced memory disorder (amnesia).

    In particular, the ability to remember new content is impaired, which is called anterograde amnesia. Thus, affected persons often do not remember what they just said or why they just got up. During the conversation, there is often an unconscious attempt to fill in the memory gaps with invented content. This is called “confabulation”. While this fact is often quickly apparent to outsiders, those affected themselves usually have little insight into their memory disorder.

  • Furthermore, although much weaker, the retrieval of already stored memory content can also be disturbed (retrograde amnesia), as is the case with many forms of dementia.