Definition – What is a Korsakov syndrome?
The Korsakow syndrome is a form of the so-called anamnestic syndromes, which is characterized by severe memory disorders. The main focus of the symptoms is that new content can no longer be transferred to the memory (anterograde amnesia). It is also typical that affected persons fill the memory gaps with invented content, which is called “confabulation”.
Accordingly, affected persons only rarely have insight into the disease. In addition to the pronounced memory disorder, orientation disorders, a reduction in drive and a flattening of the emotional oscillation continue to occur frequently. In Germany, the frequency of the disease is estimated at 0.3 – 0.8%.
Causes for Korsakow syndrome
The development of Korsakov’s syndrome is in all cases due to damage to certain areas of the brain. However, the causes of this damage can be very different. Nevertheless, vitamin deficiency and the resulting Wernicke’s encephalopathy is by far the most common cause of Korsakov’s syndrome.
Due to this close association, the Wernicke-Korsakow syndrome is also often referred to as Wernicke-Korsakow syndrome.
- The most common cause of this damage is a thiamine deficiency (vitamin B1), which, if it persists for a long time, manifests itself as structural brain damage. The vitamin deficiency is usually the result of malnutrition due to excessive alcohol consumption in the sense of dependence.
This deficiency usually leads to a specific inflammation of the brain, the so-called Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which then leads to brain damage. These damages mainly affect the front parts of the brain and the structures of the so-called limbic system. The limbic system is believed to play a decisive role in the regulation and generation of emotions and the transfer of content into memory.
- In addition to vitamin deficiency in the context of alcohol addiction, other causes can also lead to damage in these areas of the brain. These include, for example, a stroke of the anterior cerebral artery or a pronounced cerebral hemorrhage.
- Severe craniocerebral trauma can also lead to this type of damage.
