Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 30, 2026
19:57
The Use of Trace Eyeblink Classical Conditioning to Assess Hippocampal Dysfunction in a Rat Model of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
Published on: August 5, 2017
Wernicke's Encephalopathy in a Patient Without Chronic Alcohol Abuse
Darshan Thota1, Sherri Rudinsky1
1Naval Medical Center, Department of Emergency Medicine, San Diego, California.
Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine
|June 1, 2018
Summary
Wernicke
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Internal Medicine
Background:
- Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) is a serious neurological condition often linked to chronic alcohol abuse.
- Timely diagnosis and treatment are crucial to prevent severe outcomes, including mortality.
- Traditional emergency department presentations typically involve patients with a history of alcohol dependence.
Observation:
- A 63-year-old female presented with bilateral ophthalmoplegia, a key neurological sign.
- This patient had no prior history of chronic alcohol abuse.
- Symptoms rapidly improved following intravenous thiamine administration.
Findings:
- The case demonstrates that Wernicke's encephalopathy can occur in individuals without a history of alcohol abuse.
- Bilateral ophthalmoplegia is a reversible presenting symptom of WE.
- Intravenous thiamine is an effective treatment for WE.
Implications:
- Clinicians should consider Wernicke's encephalopathy in the differential diagnosis of ophthalmoplegia, even in non-alcoholic patients.
- Expanding awareness of WE's varied presentations can lead to earlier diagnosis and improved patient outcomes.
- This case underscores the importance of considering nutritional deficiencies beyond alcohol-related causes.
Related Concept Videos
01:19Encephalitis l: Introduction
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
01:26Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology
Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...
01:29Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction
Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...
01:22Dementia l: Introduction
Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...
01:29Hepatic Encephalopathy
DefinitionHepatic encephalopathy is a reversible neurologic syndrome that results from advanced liver dysfunction or portosystemic shunting. It leads to disturbances in cognition, behavior, and motor function due to the brain’s exposure to gut-derived toxins that the liver fails to detoxify.EtiologyThis condition develops either in the setting of acute fulminant hepatitis or progressively during chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Portosystemic shunting—including...
01:21Chronic Pancreatitis II: Pathophysiology
Chronic pancreatitis is a progressive and irreversible inflammation of the pancreas, most often caused by long-term alcohol abuse, but it can also be related to ductal obstruction, smoking, or genetic factors.Chronic pancreatitis occurs when the pancreas is repeatedly exposed to harmful agents like alcohol, smoking, ductal obstruction, or genetic predisposition. These factors lead to the release of toxic metabolites and inflammatory cytokines, sustaining chronic inflammation in the pancreatic...