Wernicke encephalopathy, also referred as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, is a form of thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, and is typically seen in alcoholics.×ArticlesLogInCasesSignUpCoursesQuizBlogDonateAbout×MenuSearchADVERTISEMENT:Radiopaediaisfreethankstooursupportersandadvertisers.BecomeaGoldSupporterandseenoads.ArticlesCasesCoursesLogInLoginSignup{"url":"/signup-modal-props.json?lang=us\u0026email="}ArticlesCasesCoursesQuizAboutBlogGoad-freeSearchWernickeencephalopathyDrHenryKnipe◉◈andAssocProfFrankGaillard◉◈etal.Wernickeencephalopathy, alsoreferredasWernicke-Korsakoffsyndrome,isaformofthiamine(vitaminB1)deficiency,andistypicallyseeninalcoholics.Onimaging,itiscommonlyseenonMRIasareasofsymmetricalincreasedT2/FLAIRsignalinvolvingthemammillarybodies,dorsomedialthalami,tectalplate,periaqueductalarea and/oraroundthethirdventricle.Onthispage:Article:ClinicalpresentationPathologyRadiographicfeaturesTreatmentandprognosisHistoryandetymologyDifferentialdiagnosisRelatedarticlesReferencesImages:CasesandfiguresClinicalpresentationItwasoriginallydescribedascharacterizedbythetriadof:acuteconfusionataxiaophthalmoplegia(mostcommonlyhorizontalnystagmusandconjugategazepalsies)WernickeencephalopathycanevolveintothechronicformofthiaminedeficiencyknownasKorsakoffpsychosis,characterizedby:memoryloss(globalamnesia)confabulationThetwotermsareoftenconcatenatedtoformWernicke-Korsakoffsyndrome.PathologyEtiologyThiaminedeficiencyresultsfrommalnutritionormalabsorption,whichcanoccurforanumberofreasons6,7:alcoholabuse(upto90%inindustrialisedcountries5)starvation/fastingprolongedtotalparenteralnutritionwithoutsupplementationpostbariatricsurgeryhyperemesisgravidarumgastrointestinalmalignancychronicdialysisRadiographicfeaturesInacutestages,hemorrhage,necrosis,andedemamaybepresent.Inchronicstages,atrophicchangesmaybepresentespeciallyinvolvingthemamillarybodies.CTUsuallynormal.MRIT2/FLAIR: symmetricallyincreasedsignalintensityinthemammillarybodiesdorsomedialthalamitectalplateperiaqueductalgreymattera