Master Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome with Picmonic for Physician Assistant

Patients with Wernicke encephalopathy often present with confusion and altered mental status.

Refers to paralysis of one or more of the extraocular muscles that coordinate eye movement. Lateral rectus palsy is especially common in Wernicke's encephalopathy.

A lack of muscle coordination secondary to cerebellar dysfunction.

Korsakoff syndrome is a late manifestation of thiamine deficiency, characterized by marked deficits in anterograde and retrograde memory, personality changes, and confabulation.

A memory disturbance characterized by invented memories that are thought to be true. Confabulation is often called “honest lying” because people usually have no intent to deceive and is unaware that their information is false.

People with Korsakoff psychosis often are described to have personality changes, including apathy.

Patients with Wernicke-Korsakoff can suffer from both anterograde and retrograde memory loss.

Excessive alcohol consumption is a common cause of thiamine deficiency leading to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.

Part of the thalamus thought to play a large part in the memory pathway. The medial dorsal nucleus is associated with Korsakoff syndrome.

Structure important in the memory pathway that is commonly damaged in Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.