WernickeencephalopathyFromWikipedia,thefreeencyclopediaJumptonavigationJumptosearchWernickeencephalopathyOthernamesWernicke'sdiseaseHypothalamusSpecialtyNeurology SymptomsAtaxia,ophthalmoplegia,confusionCausesThiaminedeficencyRiskfactorsAlcoholusedisorder,malnutritionWernickeencephalopathy(WE),alsoWernicke'sencephalopathy[1]isthepresenceofneurologicalsymptomscausedbybiochemicallesionsofthecentralnervoussystemafterexhaustionofB-vitaminreserves,inparticularthiamine(vitaminB1).Theconditionispartofalargergroupofthiaminedeficiencydisorders,thatincludesberiberiinallitsforms,andalcoholicKorsakoffsyndrome.WhenitoccurssimultaneouslywithalcoholicKorsakoffsyndromeitisknownasWernicke–Korsakoffsyndrome.[2][3]Classically,Wernickeencephalopathyischaracterisedbythetriad–ophthalmoplegia,ataxia,andconfusion.Around10%ofpatientsexhibitallthreefeatures,andothersymptomsmayalsobepresent.[4]Whileitiscommonlyregardedasaconditionpeculiartomalnourishedpeoplewithalcoholmisuse,itcanbecausedbyavarietyofdiseases.[2][5]Itistreatedwiththiaminesupplementation,whichcanleadtoimprovementofthesymptomsandoftencompleteresolution,particularlyinthosewherealcoholmisuseisnottheunderlyingcause.[6]Oftenothernutrientsalsoneedtobereplaced,dependingonthecause.Wernickeencephalopathymaybepresentinthegeneralpopulationwithaprevalenceofaround2%,andisconsideredunderdiagnosed;probably,manycasesareinpatientswhodonothavecommonly-associatedsymptoms.[7]Contents1Signsandsymptoms1.1Locationofthelesion1.2Korsakoffsyndrome2Riskfactors3Pathophysiology3.1Neuropathology3.2Pathologicalanatomy4Diagnosis5Prevention6Treatment7Epidemiology8History9Children10References11ExternallinksSignsandsymptoms[edit]TheclassictriadofsymptomsfoundinWernickeencephalopathyis:[8]ophthalmoplegia(laterexpandedtoothereyemovementdisorders,mostcommonlyaffectingthelateralrectusmuscle.[8]Lateralnystagmusismostcommonlyseenalthoughlateralrectuspalsy,usuallybilateral,maybeseen).ataxia(laterexpandedtoimbalanceoranycerebellarsigns)confusion(laterexpandedtootherment