A persistent sign is confusion, which often makes it difficult for people with the disorder to realize that something is wrong with them. Wet brain is a disorder of the brain caused by a chronic thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency. It’s also known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), named after German neurologist Carl Wernicke and neuropsychiatrist Sergei Korsakoff. However, once the patient enters stage 2, Korsakoff Psychosis, the outlook is less optimistic.
What Is the Medical Term for Wet Brain?
Sometimes, people with Korsakoff’s psychosis experience hallucinations, seeing or hearing things that aren’t there. It can also be hard to understand that you even have these symptoms, a symptom known as lack of insight. In the end-stages of alcoholism there are noticeable health conditions, like jaundice, from liver failure. There are also more subtle signs like itchy skin, fluid retention, fatigue, and bleeding. If you know someone who drinks regularly and has these symptoms, have them reach out to a treatment provider to discuss their treatment options. It’s common for people struggling with alcohol addiction to not eat balanced, nutritional foods.
Regain Control of Your Life
The most important long-term step is to completely stop drinking alcohol. Nutritional counseling can help people make healthy food choices to support their brain health. Cognitive rehabilitation therapy, like memory exercises and problem-solving activities, can help improve thinking skills. According to the NIH, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a type of brain damage caused by a severe thiamine deficiency or vitamin B1 deficiency.
Preventing Wet Brain Syndrome
Wernicke encephalopathy is the acute phase of WKS, characterized by sudden and severe symptoms caused by thiamine deficiency affecting the brain’s metabolic functions. It’s important to remember that Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), sometimes called “wet brain,” is a serious condition. Getting help quickly can improve outcomes and even prevent further brain damage.
- In more severe cases, a person may also experience severe confusion, hallucinations, or seizures.
- To detox from alcohol safely, always consult a specialized rehab center.
- According to the NIH, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a type of brain damage caused by a severe thiamine deficiency or vitamin B1 deficiency.
- A study declared that only 20% of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome cases are diagnosed properly, whereas many remain undiagnosed.
- Wet brain syndrome occurs through prolonged heavy drinking and can have devastating effects on a person’s quality of life.
- However, wet brain is more common in people who have a history of alcohol abuse.
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) is one name for two conditions that often happen together — Wernicke encephalopathy and Korsakoff syndrome. Many doctors think of them as different stages of the same disease. I’ve spent the last seven years researching and understanding alcoholism, addiction, and how people get mush brain sober. Additionally, I examine the way mental and physical health as well as our relationships with others impact the reasons people drink and their role in maintaining sobriety long-term. Additionally, doctors will monitor patients’ guts to ensure proper absorption and adjust their treatment plan accordingly. It can take several months for patients to experience a full recovery, which must be accompanied by improved nutrition and abstaining from alcohol.