Korsakoff minus Wernicke syndrome

It is commonly believed that Korsakoff's amnesic state in alcoholics is characteristically the sequel to Wernicke's disease. However, in a study of 44 Korsakoff patients it was found that 33 had developed serious memory impairment without having had alarming neurological symptoms. This insidious nature of the onset of the disease indicates that all alcohol-dependent patients should be treated with vitamin B.