Disease. Wernicke Encephalopathy (WE) is an acute neurologic condition that occurs in the setting of a thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency and is ...TheAcademyusescookiestoanalyzeperformanceandproviderelevantpersonalizedcontenttousersofourwebsite. LearnmoreCreateaccountLoginMainpageArticlesGettingStartedHelpRecentchangesMyPortalPageDiscussionViewformViewsourceHistoryWernickeEncephalopathyFromEyeWikiJumpto:navigation,searchEnrollintheResidentsandFellowscontestEnrollintheInternationalOphthalmologistscontestResidentsandFellowscontestrules|InternationalOphthalmologistscontestrulesOriginalarticlecontributedby:JaredRaabe, BayanAlOthman,MDAllcontributors:AshwiniKini,MD, AndrewGoLee,MD, BayanAlOthman,MDAssignededitor:BayanAlOthman,MDReview:AssignedstatusUptoDate byBayanAlOthman,MDonDecember29,2020.addContributingEditors:addWernickeEncephalopathyICD-10[1]51.2OMIM277730MedlinePlus000771MeSHD014899WernickeEncephalopathyContents1DiseaseEntity1.1Disease1.2Etiology1.3RiskFactors1.4Pathophysiology1.5Pathology1.6Primaryprevention2Diagnosis2.1Signs3Management3.1Prognosis4ReferencesDiseaseEntityDiseaseWernickeEncephalopathy(WE)isanacuteneurologicconditionthatoccursinthesettingofathiamine(vitaminB1)deficiencyandischaracterizedbyatriadofmentalstatuschanges,ophthalmoplegia/nystagmus,andgaitataxia.However,thefulltriadisnotpresentineverycaseofWE.Inadequatelytreated,patientsmayprogresstosufferfromKorsakoffsyndrome,leavingpatientswithpermanentmemoryimpairment.EtiologyTheneurologicdeficitsassociatedwithWEarecausedbyaninadequatesupplyofthevitaminthiaminetothebrain.Theabsenceofthiamineasanenzymaticcofactorleadstodecreasedenergyavailabilityandsubsequentneurotoxicity.Thisneurotoxicitymanifestsacutelyasophthalmoplegia/nystagmus,ataxia,andmentalstatuschanges.RiskFactorsWEismostcommonlyassociatedwithchronicalcoholismbutcanbeprecipitatedbyanystateinwhichthiamineconsumptionorabsorptionisreduced(e.g.,anorexia,malabsorptionorgastrointestinal/bariatricsurgeries,starvation,hyperemesisgravidarum,parenteralfe