This is the final stage of a Korsakow syndrome
The final stage of Korsakov’s syndrome can be very similar to forms of dementia. Patients are often no longer able to manage their everyday life on their own and are dependent on outside help in almost all areas of everyday life. In addition, the depression-like symptoms with listlessness and flattened emotions lead to severe bedriddenness and social withdrawal. While the Korsakow syndrome itself usually does not lead to a shortening of life expectancy, the damage caused by the underlying long-term alcohol consumption can, however, significantly limit the general prognosis of patients. Would you like to learn more about the topic of dementia?
Treatment of Korsakow syndrome
With regard to treatment and the definition of therapeutic goals, it must first be noted that Korsakow’s syndrome as a whole is considered incurable due to the brain damage that has occurred. The goal of any therapy is thus to positively influence the course of the disease and improve the patient’s quality of life. If the disease is due to malnutrition and vitamin B1 deficiency in the context of a pronounced alcohol consumption, the first step in therapy is always the administration of thiamine (vitamin B1).
Depending on the extent of the previous damage, this can already result in an alleviation of the symptoms and a prevention of the disease progress. The aim of further therapy measures is to enable the patients to cope with everyday life as independently as possible. In order to achieve this goal, intensive memory training is usually carried out with the patients and psychotherapeutic treatment is provided. Frequently, occupational therapists also find their place in the therapy, in order to enable the patients to resume everyday activities and to strengthen the available resources.
This is how the course is
As already described above, in the vast majority of cases before the development of the Korsakow syndrome, there is a so-called Wernicke’s encephalopathy, a brain damage that is due to a lack of vitamin B1. This deficiency is in most cases caused by malnutrition in the context of alcohol abuse. In this sense, the Korsakow syndrome can be seen as the incurable final stage of this disease.
Thus, in the course of the disease, the first signs of Wernicke’s encephalopathy often appear first. These include: If, as a result of these symptoms, the consumption of alcohol and a sufficient supply of vitamin B1 is not reduced, this ultimately leads to damage to the brain substance, which is manifested by the development of Korsakow syndrome. The clinical picture is then no longer curable, even though some cognitive functions can be easily improved through targeted training.Often the impairment of everyday functions due to memory and orientation disorders is so severe that independent everyday life is no longer possible. Furthermore, the social interaction of the patients is significantly restricted, since it is not uncommon for these patients to suffer from depression and they very often present themselves as extremely aggressive.
- A disturbance of consciousness
- A gait and movement disorder
- A disorder of the ocular motor function that can cause double images.
