“Wet brain” is a term used to describe the chronic brain disorder, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome or Korsakoff’s psychosis. However, a less commonly known health problem related to alcohol abuse and addiction is wet brain, also known as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This is both a physical and psychological condition that can be life-threatening if left untreated. If you or a loved alcoholism one struggles with alcohol addiction, reaching out for help from a treatment center can help you avoid serious and irreversible consequences like wet brain, the alcoholic brain disease.
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Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is also sometimes referred to as alcohol dementia. Thiamine is an essential vitamin for the metabolism and function of brain cells. In more severe cases, a person may also experience severe confusion, hallucinations, or seizures. A medical-assisted detox can help a person safely withdraw from alcohol with proper supervision, medication, and a safe environment.
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Once they’ve been discharged from the hospital, patients should continue the regimen of taking oral thiamine and other recommended vitamin supplements. The level of brain damage that occurs with wet brain is directly correlated to how much and how often someone drinks. People who start problem drinking at young ages, and drink heavily will be at higher risk of developing wet brain than those who drink moderately or don’t develop alcoholism until they are older. Wet Brain syndrome, also known as Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome, is a serious neurological disorder caused by a deficiency of thiamine (Vitamin B1). While the medical terminology might be complex, we’ll use ‘Wet Brain’ throughout this article for a better user experience. Director of Rehabs UK, Lester Morse, notes, “Wet Brain is a debilitating condition that arises from prolonged alcohol abuse and can have severe consequences on one’s cognitive function.”
Detection and Diagnosis
When a person is in the final stages of a wet brain, they will need 24/7 nursing care. Alcohol is a neurotoxin that shrinks the brain (a phenomenon known as “cerebral atrophy”) and slowly destroys the frontal lobe, cerebellum and limbic system. In many ways, end-stage alcohol dementia resembles end-stage Alzheimer’s disease and requires the same level of intensive medical support. Besides, the onset of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome and symptom severity is not considered to be a direct relation to how much or what kind of alcohol a person drinks over their lifetime. Genetics, preexisting conditions, and other factors help determine whether an alcoholic eventually develops this mush brain disease. If someone develops a drinking problem, seeks treatment within a few years of the onset of their alcoholism, and remains sober, chances are they’re not at risk for developing Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome.
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Prolonged illness, liver disease, or conditions requiring specific medications can also heighten this risk, especially among those who may already have limited diets or poor overall health. As Wet Brain progresses, behavior may change in noticeable ways, often resembling symptoms of other cognitive disorders. People with this syndrome can seem more irritable, withdrawn, or apathetic, which can be hard to separate from wet brain meaning signs of intoxication. Individuals not only struggle to form new memories but also may experience retrograde amnesia, where they lose past memories. In severe cases, they may even start “confabulating” – filling in memory gaps with made-up stories or details they genuinely believe happened.
