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Wernicke encephalopathy

7K views 7 replies 5 participants last post by  Dr.Lacune 
#1 ·
What part of the brain is injured in the Wernicke encephalopathy?

And how is it different from alcoholic cerebellar degeneration?
 
#2 ·
Alcoholic damage to the cerebellum affects the anterior vermis only and presents with gait ataxia.

Wernicke encephalopathy can show lesions in a few areas but most common is #1 mammillary body, #2 dorsomedial nuclei of thalamas.. It may also damage the anterior group nuclei, hippocampus and vermis as well but the first two I would say are most important..

WE presents with eye problems (ocular palsies), confusion and gait ataxia acutely and may also progress to include Korsakoff Psychosis which consists of anterograde + retrograde amnesia, and confabulations (if you can't remember anything then you just make everything up :))).. At this point it is known as Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome

I would say that is the difference..
 
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