Wernicke's encephalopathy

An acute encephalopathy caused by a deficiency of thiamine usually associated with chronic alcoholism and marked by loss of muscular coordination, abnormal eye movements, and disorientation.

[After Karl Wernicke (1848-1905), German neurologist.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

Wernicke's encephalopathy - inflammatory degenerative disease of the brain caused by thiamine deficiency that is usually associated with alcoholism

brain disease, brain disorder, encephalopathy - any disorder or disease of the brain

Mentioned in

References in periodicals archive

Wernicke encephalopathy (WE), which was first described by Carl Wernicke in 1881, is an acute-subacute neurologic syndrome that occurs due to thiamine deficiency and is characterized by a triad of mental impairment, ophthalmoplegia and gait ataxia.

Wernicke's Encephalopathy due to Non-Alcoholic Gastrointestinal Tract Disease

Wernicke encephalopathy (WE) is an acute or subacute neurological syndrome caused by thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency and is usually underestimated in clinical practice.

Wernicke Encephalopathy in a Patient with Pulmonary and Abdominal Tuberculosis

Spectrum of MR imaging findings in Wernicke encephalopathy: Are atypical areas of involvement only present in nonalcoholic patients?

Alcohol's effects on the brain: Neuroimaging results in humans and animal models

The other neurological complications are the alcoholic peripheral neuropathy, alcoholic myopathy, Wernicke encephalopathy, combination of Wernicke encephalopathy with Korsakoff's psychosis.

Study on alcohol and its neurological complications

"Dextrose and vitamins should be included in the therapy when prolonged vomiting is present, and thiamine should be administered before dextrose infusion to prevent Wernicke encephalopathy," ACOG recommended.

ACOG advises on early treatment of morning sickness

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.