SkiptocontentHazeldenBettyFordArticlesUntreatedAlcoholismandtheRisksofWetBrainFebruary20,2019|BY:HazeldenBettyFordFoundationUntreatedAlcoholismandtheRisksofWetBrainSyndromeLearnmoreabouttheconditionknownasWernicke-KorsakoffsyndromeFacebookTwitterLinkdInAforgottenbirthday.Arepeatedstory.Confusionoverasimpletask.Forheavydrinkers,theseseeminglyinnocentmemorylapsescanevolvetoslurredspeech,anunsteadywalk,violentmuscletwitchesorhallucinations,signalingalcohol-inducedbraindamage.Ifleftuntreated,thedamagecanprogresstoWernicke-Korsakoffsyndrome,apotentiallylife-threateningcondition.IsWernicke-KorsakoffsyndromethesameasWetBrain?Youmighthearthedatedterm"wetbrain"usedinreferencetoWernicke-Korsakoffsyndrome.However,theterm"wetbrain"carriesandperpetuatesstigmabyinaccuratelyconveyingthatpeoplewillfullycontractit.ThetruthistwopeoplecanhavesimilardrinkingpatternsandonewilldevelopWernicke-Korsakoffsyndromeandtheotherwon't.It’sacomplexconditionwithmanyfactorsand,likealcoholusedisorder,noonechoosesit.Assuch,werecommendthattheterm"wetbrain"beavoidedinfavorofthemoreaccurate"Wernicke-Korsakoffsyndrome."HowDoesChronicDrinkingAffecttheBrain?EverycellinthebodyneedsvitaminB1(thiamine)inordertofunction.Everycell.Thisworkhorsevitaminconvertsfoodintoenergyinthebrain,nervesandheart.Ithelpsthebodyprocessfatsandproteinsandbreakdowncarbohydrates.Yourbodycan'tproducethiamineonitsown—ithastobeingestedthroughyourdiet.Thisistypicallyanon-issueformosthealthyadults(thinkwholegrains,asparagus,kale,pork,beef,chicken,eggsandpotatoes).Thosewhostrugglewithalcoholusedisorder,though,areatriskofthiaminedeficiency.Why?Insteadofeatingabalanceddiet,manyalcoholicsdrinktheircalories,deprivingtheirbodiesofessentialvitamins.Inothercases,analcohol-inducedinflammationofthestomachliningreducesthebody'sabilitytoabsorbvitamins.AccordingtotheNationalInstituteonAlcoholAbuseandAlcoholism,"chronicalcoholconsumptioncancausethiaminedeficiencyandreducedenzymeactivity,includinginadequatedietaryintake,malabsorptionofthiaminefromthega