We are honored to have Ben writing exclusively for Dualdiagnosis.org. Individuals with the disorder often suffer from mental confusion, making it challenging to communicate with doctors. Your doctor might overrule the chances of a physical problem if you are confused. This second wet brain phase can be destructive and permanent if not attended to early and adequately. This may be attributed to the fact that men are typically heavier drinkers than women. On top of that, the disease is most prevalent among year-olds, as the brain is fully developed at this point in life.
How To Diagnose Wet Brain
- While WKS is not curable once you develop the second stage of the condition, early detection can help treat symptoms and slow the progression of the disease.
- In the final stages of wet brain, the ability to form new memories is often lost, and a person starts to progressively lose more memories.
- Wet brain is a serious brain disorder caused by excessive alcohol consumption.
- Department of Health and Human Services, alcohol impairs the body’s ability to absorb thiamine from food sources.
- With 10 years of experience working in and writing about mental health and addiction treatment, societal issues, and history, she ensures the quality and authenticity of written content at RU.
Abstaining from alcohol completely while receiving treatment for wet brain is vital for a full recovery. Abstinence should persist even after making a full recovery from the condition. Around 80 to 90% of people with alcohol use disorder who https://ecosoberhouse.com/ have Wernicke’s encephalopathy develop Korsakoff’s psychosis. The early stage, Wernicke’s encephalopathy, can often be reversed with treatment, but once it progresses to Korsakoff’s psychosis, the damage is typically permanent.
What You Should Know About Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome
One of the most debilitating illnesses is Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, also known as wet brain. Wet brain affects males more than females and the sufferer has a 10-20% chance of early death. Stopping alcohol use when the body and brain are dependent on alcohol can result in death. People who suffer from Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome need to be medically monitored in an alcohol detox program followed by a long-term residential treatment center for recovery. The general life expectancy for someone with Wet Brain varies widely. Without treatment, individuals may face a significantly reduced lifespan, potentially living only a few years after symptoms become severe.
- Along with the results of these tests, cognitive and memory performance will also be measured to compare with the symptoms of Wernicke’s encephalopathy and Korsakoff’s psychosis individually.
- Symptoms of this stage of wet brain include impaired memory and learning abilities.
- It’s common for people struggling with alcohol addiction to not eat balanced, nutritional foods.
- And if alcohol upsets a person’s stomach, this could trigger vomiting or loss of appetite — two other ways of depleting the body’s thiamine reserves.
- These include individuals with malnutrition, starvation, schizophrenia, anorexia nervosa, prisoners of war, and terminal malignancies.
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- The alcohol will prevent the liver from converting the thiamine into a usable form.
- Yes, the wet brain (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome) comes on suddenly, especially in its early stage, Wernicke encephalopathy.
- This often means working with a doctor or support group to ensure a safe transition to sobriety.
- Wet brain recovery requires an extended stay in a residential treatment center to give ample time for the alcoholic to learn new life skills.
- This lack of self-care combined with chronic alcohol abuse contributes to the development of Wernicke-Koraskoff syndrome.
- Abstinence should persist even after making a full recovery from the condition.
When Wet brain symptoms are detected, prompt treatment can prevent or delay the progression of the disease. In addition, prompt treatments can also reverse the temporary brain abnormalities. Every cell in the body needs vitamin B1 (thiamine) in order to function.
Stages of Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome
There’s no single test for the syndrome, but a good indication, particularly when disorientation and confusion are apparent, is testing vitamin B1 levels in the blood. Research conducted by the Alzheimer’s Association estimates that when caught early enough, approximately 25 percent of people will recover, 50 percent will improve and 25 percent will stay the same. However, once the syndrome has progressed to the point of no return—no new memories or experiences, no reversing the symptoms—the disease drug addiction is generally fatal. The grim reality of chronic alcohol abuse is that the body can only handle so much; and Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a tragic, heartbreaking consequence of the abusive nature of alcoholism. A failure to diagnose this syndrome leads to death in 20 percent of cases, and long-term brain damage in 75 percent.
Wet Brain Syndrome: Understanding the Consequences of Long-Term, Untreated Alcoholism
As a result, people with WKS may experience changes in coordination, eye function, energy levels, and cognitive ability. A wet brain should ideally be treated at all stages at a medical facility where doctors can monitor symptoms and administer drugs accordingly. Wet brain syndrome is determined by several factors, including how long a person has been what is mush brain drinking and how often they do it. But early detection can slow the progression of the disease and alleviate many symptoms. Remember, if you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol use or experiencing symptoms that might suggest wet brain syndrome, don’t hesitate to seek professional help.
Phase 1: Encephalopathy
When these symptoms become long term, they cause lasting brain and nerve cell damage. This causes severe memory loss and the inability to form new memories, leading to Korsakoff syndrome. The condition is also referred to as alcoholic dementia because of its ability to cause severe memory loss and induce hallucinations and behavioral changes, which are all hallmarks of dementia.