Alcohol-induced dementia and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

This disease arises in people (usually older than 50) who have consumed a lot of alcohol during a long period of time. The damages are caused by a lack of thiamin (vitamin B1), direct injury on the nerve cells by alcohol, and skull injuries caused by falling over, as well as bad dietary habits.

Symptoms of alcohol-induced dementia are similar to Alzheimer’s disease, vascular dementia, and FTD. Common symptoms are numbing, changes in personality, and listlessness. This is because the frontal lobe is usually affected and that’s where these functions are located.

Alcohol-induced dementia can, compared to other neurodegenerative diseases, be halted and improved by refraining from alcohol, eat vitamins and lead a healthy life with healthy foods.

Johan Sundelöf, Senior Physician, Specialist in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine
Reviewed by: Johan Sundelöf, Senior Physician, Specialist in Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine
Updated: January 22, 2021
Published: 15 December, 2020

What is dementia?How common is dementia?Diseases of the brainAlzheimer's diseaseVascular dementiaLewy body dementiaForehead dementia / Frontotemporal dementia diseaseParkinson's diseaseAlcohol-induced dementia and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndromeNormal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH)Rare dementia diseasesHeredity

Brain diseases

Alzheimer's disease

Vascular dementia

Lewy body dementia

Frontotemporal dementia

Parkinson's disease

Alcohol-induced dementia and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

Normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH)

Rare dementias

Heredity

Treatment

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