Korsakovsky syndrome is a disease that is common among the elderly and people who abuse strong alcoholic drinks, regardless of age. Pathology manifests itself in the defeat of peripheral nerves, memory impairment, disorientation in time and space.
What is the Korsakov syndrome?
The Korsakov syndrome is a combination of disorders characterized by memory impairment , landmarks in time and space, the presence of false memories of recent events. The disease was named after the psychiatrist S. Korsakov, who first described the clinical picture of psychological and psychiatric disorders in patients in the 19th century.
Korsakov's syndrome - symptoms
Korsakov's syndrome is manifested by memory impairment, in patients there is a spatial and temporary disorientation, many people stop recognizing their close and close people. The affective form is accompanied by:
- irritability;
- dysphoria;
- an unstable mood;
- increased anxiety;
- panic attacks.
The patient's physical condition is exhausted, there is rapid fatigue, there is no way to restore the lost strength. The patient can not adequately assess his behavior and general condition. As a rule, he can not recognize problems and denies the existence of a disorder. A person in this state needs expert help from a specialist and support of close people.
Alcoholic Korsakov syndrome is accompanied by a special symptom like confabulation. It consists in the fact that the patient replaces in memory the events that happened to him in life, false. In some cases, memories are close to real cases, but sometimes they are completely fantastic. The facts described by the patient may be similar to certain moments from books, films or TV programs that are familiar to him.
Symptoms of Korsak's syndrome with dynamic development of the disease can "layer" and eventually become heavier. Physicians are aware of cases when some signs disappeared, thus such functions can be restored:
- motivational;
- cognitive;
- motor;
- affective.
Korsakovsky syndrome - the reasons
The main cause of the Korsakov syndrome is a deficiency in the body of vitamin B1. This can be a consequence:
- head trauma;
- hypoxia of the brain;
- regular eating disorders;
- abuse of alcoholic beverages;
- operations on the temple in the treatment of epilepsy.
The Korsakov syndrome with alcoholism is manifested by thiamine deficiency, which develops due to insufficient absorption of the vitamin. If an alcoholic "with experience" does not receive timely qualified treatment, this process can lead to psychosis Korsakov (up to 85% of cases of the disease) or amnestic syndrome.
How to treat the Korsakov syndrome?
Korsakovsky amnestic syndrome is treated by eliminating the underlying cause, more often it is associated with brain damage in alcohol abuse. As a rule, detoxification and the introduction of a large amount of thiamine and some other vitamins are used for this purpose. To improve memory, attention and learning, nootropics are used, and small doses of neuroleptics help the patient get rid of psychosis. When diagnosed, the Korsakov syndrome treatment often leads to a positive result, but on condition that it is started on time.
Diet with Korsakov's syndrome
Amnesic syndrome Korsakov can not be cured without diet. The diet should be rich in protein foods and contain a minimum amount of carbohydrates. This approach allows you to minimize the need for vitamin B1. In order to prevent recurrence, experts recommend adhering to a diet during the entire course of therapy, which can take more than one year.