It’s a known fact that excessive drinking is bad for your brain. It can lead to health problems, it also can remove the individual’s ability to perform cognitively. One of the more serious forms of alcoholism is alcoholic dementia. Can be compared to Alzheimer’s disease as it distorts memory and cognitive ability. When they have progressed to this state there’s not much that can be done medically to reverse it. Alcoholic dementia does not have age discrimination, there are cases varying in age.
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome
Alcoholic dementia consists of two symptoms known as Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff psychosis. The form of dementia is also known as Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome or wet brain. These are separate forms of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome, classified as two different stages. Wernicke’s encephalopathy develops first and what it causes leads to Korsakoff’s syndrome.
Alcoholic Dementia and Cause of it
Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is brain shrinkage. The atrophy happens due to a vitamin B1 deficiency. Those who abuse alcohol have poor eating habits so they won’t get the necessary nutrients they need for proper mental function. It’s the effects of a poor diet that is the reason for alcoholic dementia to be present in the alcoholic. Nerve cells need vitamin B1 for them to be proficient and a continual decrease of this vitamin leads to complications.
Alcoholic Dementia Symptoms
The person who develops Wernicke’s encephalopathy can experience:
- Cognitive confusion
- Irritability and paranoia
- Decreased muscle coordination
- Eye problems
If he or she has a chronic drinking problem it will be much harder to diagnose Wernicke’s encephalopathy. When alcohol can cause an alcoholic to be uncoordinated and confused too. It is only when the individual is experiencing these symptoms in recovery when they become apparent. Later Wernicke’s encephalopathy can progress to Korsakoff psychosis and the symptoms can include:
- Unable to generate new memories
- False memories
- Memory loss
- Hallucination
More importantly, if this syndrome is not diagnosed by a medical professional it will progress to a coma or possible death.
Alcoholic Dementia Treatment
To slow the symptoms, the vitamin B1 deficiency needs to be corrected. Unfortunately, if brain damage is present there may be little one can do to repair it. Most likely it will be mandatory for the patient to remain hospitalized until the deficiency is treated.
Once the patient is treated it is extremely important to be free from alcohol. If they have been diagnosed with irreversible brain damage, they need to adjust, but there should be a vast improvement in the absence of alcohol. If the condition has progressed to severe Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome it is unmanageable for them to stop drinking. As they do not have the mental capacity to understand they need to be sober. To prevent this from happening, it is vital the individual receive treatment as soon as symptoms are present and cease drinking alcohol before matter take a turn for the worse.
For individuals who have abused over a long period of time can find sobriety extremely difficult. It can be an adjustment but continuing to abuse alcohol could result in death.
Prevention of Alcoholic Dementia
The key to prevention is to avoid excessive drinking and eating a balanced diet. For those who are unable to control their drinking, should choose abstinence. The safe zone or what is medically suggested is 1 drink per day for women and those over 65 and 2 drinks per day for men.
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