Thiamine supplementation and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in alcohol dependence

Thiamine deficiency occurs in alcohol dependence and other conditions that impair nutrition and absorption; clinical effects are listed in Clinical aspects of key water-soluble vitamins. Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome has a spectrum of neurological features caused by thiamine deficiency, most commonly seen in alcohol dependence, but other causes include bariatric surgery, gastrointestinal cancer, hyperemesis gravidarum, poor diet and chronic vomitingScalzo, 2015. Wernicke encephalopathy is a severe manifestation of acute deficiency that requires immediate treatment with intravenous thiamine; without adequate treatment, brain damage can lead to severe loss of short-term memory and difficulty learning new information (Korsakoff syndrome)Haber, 2021. Korsakoff syndrome is sometimes known as alcohol amnestic disorder, although it can also evolve from nonalcohol-related Wernicke encephalopathyScalzo, 2015.