Wet Brain Syndrome: Meaning, Causes, Signs & How to Recover

As mentioned earlier, a thiamine deficiency is the main cause of wet brain or Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome. Raising awareness around eating disorders is essential for breaking the stigma and allowing people to seek treatment. It’s important to note that thiamine will not improve intellect or memory in wet brain patients. For example, a person in the Korsakoff’s psychosis stage of wet brain may begin to notice tachycardia or a more rapid heartbeat. They may also notice problems in their central nervous system and extremities, like hands and feet.

How long does Korsakoff syndrome last?

The prognosis for someone with Korsakoff's syndrome depends on how soon treatment begins and how much brain damage has already been done. Any improvement usually occurs within a period of up to two years after stopping drinking. Some symptoms, especially the loss of memory and thinking skills, may be permanent.

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Wet Brain Symptoms of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

As part of the treatment for wet brain syndrome, you will be given additional thiamine – usually in an IV or supplemental form – to help increase your levels. Over time as your thiamine levels increase and stabilize, you may notice an improvement in your symptoms. Symptoms of the second stage of wet brain syndrome, known as Korsakoff psychosis, often do not develop until long after the symptoms of the first stage have developed. It is only after a person has exhibited symptoms of the first stage of wet brain syndrome for a prolonged period of time that symptoms of Korsakoff psychosis occur. The second reason heavy alcohol consumption causes thiamine deficiency is because alcohol prevents the liver from working properly. The alcohol will prevent the liver from converting the thiamine into a usable form.

  • Early intervention during this stage can help to reverse those symptoms.
  • As such, we recommend that the term “wet brain” be avoided in favor of the more accurate “Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.”
  • These doctors, working independent of one another, diagnosed two different stages of this condition in the late 1800s.
  • People exhibiting signs of Wernicke’s encephalopathy with a history of heavy alcohol use can be given injectable thiamine to reverse some of the damage and ease symptoms.

If diagnosed and treated early enough, Wernicke Syndrome may not progress into the chronic Korsakoff’s Psychosis stage, and issues with coordination and gait may be improved with physical therapy. Most people will require alcohol detox monitored by medical professionals to keep them safe and comfortable throughout the withdrawal process. If left undiagnosed or untreated, the http://www.healthyoptionpetfood.com/shop/natural-dog-food/chicken-and-rice/ condition can lead to irreversible, lifelong damage and even death. Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, which is named for two doctors, Carl Wernicke and Sergei Korsakoff, can cause debilitating brain damage, and if not diagnosed and treated may ultimately lead to death. The thiamine will help address problems of confusion or delirium, as well as vision and muscle coordination.

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The degree of improvement varies with each individual depending on the severity of the brain damage that occurred. Some problems, specifically those related to memory loss and the ability to create and store new memories, are generally not reversible. A multidisciplinary team is often necessary for optimal treatment outcomes due to the complex nature of wet brain syndrome. About 80% of people with alcohol use disorder have a thiamine deficiency, and up to 2% of the total U.S. adult population has Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. However, it is not well understood who has wet brain because of alcohol abuse or from poor nutrition.

The primary symptoms of Korsakoff’s psychosis are memory impairment and loss. The person is no longer able to form new memories in the later stages of the condition; they lose memories progressively as brain tissue is damaged over the course of the illness. Early diagnosis http://nezhdanno.ru/fastlidka313.htm and treatment can reverse some of the symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy, which is the first stage of the condition. Administering high doses of thiamine is the first course of action when treating wet brain because the brain severely lacks the nutrient.

Who is At Risk of Wet Brain?

They may also find it difficult to navigate the world around them, even potentially forgetting their way home. Abstaining from alcohol is another effective way to prevent symptoms from turning into Korsakoff’s psychosis. There are two distinct phases in the progression of wet brain or Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome.

  • Thiamine is a very crucial vitamin that the body needs for various functions.
  • The symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy are directly followed by the side effects of Korsakoff syndrome in around 80% to 90% of people who abuse alcohol.
  • Certain symptoms, for example muscle spasms, eye abnormalities, unusual gait, and hallucinations, may be treated.
  • Although some hallucinations could be harmless, there is always the risk that hallucination provokes them to do something dangerous or harmful.
  • But, if left untreated, Wernicke encephalopathy can progress to the second stage.
  • The actual number of people affected by this condition may be even higher.

After the second stage of this condition, the injury to the brain is not reversible. Failure to diagnose this syndrome leads to death in 20 percent of cases, while brain damage occurs in 75 percent of cases. Because of the nature of the condition, it can be difficult for someone with wet brain to recognize that they have it.

How Does Wet Brain Progress?

This is typically a non-issue for most healthy adults (think whole grains, asparagus, kale, pork, beef, chicken, eggs and potatoes). Those who struggle with alcohol use disorder, though, are at risk of thiamine deficiency. Instead of eating a balanced diet, many alcoholics drink their calories, depriving their bodies of essential vitamins. In other cases, an alcohol-induced inflammation of the stomach lining reduces the body’s ability to absorb vitamins. The first of these conditions is a brain disorder known as Wernicke’s encephalopathy. People with this disorder have significant nutrient thiamine or vitamin B1 deficiencies.