What is Korsakoff's syndrome? Korsakoff's syndrome, also known as 'Wernicke-​Korsakoff syndrome', is a non-progressive type of dementia which is most ...Korsakoff'sSyndromeKorsakoff'sSyndromeAdditionalInformationHomeNHSBrainInjuryServicesKorsakoff'sSyndromeWhatisKorsakoff'ssyndrome?Korsakoff’ssyndrome,alsoknownas‘Wernicke-Korsakoffsyndrome’,isanon-progressivetypeofdementiawhichismostcommonlycausedbychronicalcoholabuse.Forthisreason,Korsakoff’ssyndromeisalsowidelyregardedasbeingaformofalcohol-relatedbraindamage(ARBD).HowdoesKorsakoff’ssyndromedevelop?Korsakoff’ssyndromeisassociatedwithalackofvitaminB1(thiamine)withinthesystem.Thiaminehelpsbraincellstoproduceenergyandtherefore,whenlevelsofthiaminedrop,braincellsareunabletogenerateenoughenergytofunctionproperly.ThisresultsinthedevelopmentofKorsakoff’ssyndromeandtheassociatedsymptomsandproblems.Whilstalcoholismisthemaincauseofthisdeficiency,itisalsopossibleforotherconditionstoresultinalackofthiaminewithinthesystemandassuch,mayalsoleadtoKorsakoff’ssyndrome.Theseconditionsinclude:AnorexiaandbulimianervosaHIV/AIDSLong-termkidneydialysisChronicinfectionCancerthathasspreadthroughoutthebodyExtremevomitingduringpregnancy(morningsickness)Korsakoff’ssyndromeusuallydevelopsalongsideaconditionthatisknownasWernickeencephalopathy,whichisanotherillnessthatiscausedbyvitaminB1deficiency.IndividualsusuallyexperienceWernickeencephalopathyfirst,andthesymptomsofKorsakoff’ssyndrometypicallyappearastheWernickeencephalopathysymptomssubside.TreatmentforKorsakoff’ssyndromeatPrioryPrioryprovideshighquality,rehabilitation-focusedtreatmentprogrammesforthosewithKorsakoff’ssyndrome,aspartofourdedicatedBrainInjuryServices.Wecanprovideexpertsupport,deliveredacrossourspecialistsitesthroughouttheUK.Priory’sBrainInjuryServicesencompassallaspectsofneurorehabilitation,including:PhysicalBehaviouralCognitiveEmotionalCommunicationSocialTreatmentisdeliveredwithinabroadvarietyofenvironments,rangingfromhospitalsettingstotransitionallivinghomes.Thebreadthoftheser