Wet brain
From Drug Rehab Wiki
Wet brain syndrome is a biological brain disorder, also known as Wernicke Korsakoff Syndrome. Wet brain is most often found in alcoholics and is the result of beriberi (disease caused by thiamine deficiency). Wet brain develops progressively over time and can produce changes in vision and memory as well as loss of coordination. In severe cases, the brain damage can be devastating.
Wet brain is actually a combination of two known brain disorders – Korsakoff’s syndrome and Wernicke ’s encephalopathy. Karsakoff’s syndrome results in a loss of pre-existing memories, but also prevents new memories from forming. In some cases, it will cause false memories and hallucinations. Wernicke’s encephalopathy results in confusion, involuntary or impaired eye movements, and lack of muscle coordination. Without treatment, a patient could die from Wernicke’s encephalopathy alone.
Alcoholics are especially susceptible to thiamine deficiency, the cause of wet brain. thiamine, or B1, is instrumental in the body’s metabolism of glucose and synthesis of amino acids. In the absence of thiamine, the brain may not be able to use the energy metabolized from glucose; this lack of nourishment can cause brain cell death. In addition, neurotransmitters like acetylcholine, glutamate and aspartate need thiamine to properly function. B1 also plays a key role in the development of myelin sheaths, the coverings that surround nerves and aid in nerve impulse conduction. In the absence of B1, the sheaths can be damaged or degenerate, causing pain, tingling sensations and nerve death.
Because chronic alcoholics also tend to be malnourished, they fail to ingest the amount of thiamine necessary for proper metabolic functions. Without the ability to properly metabolize glucose, any ingestion of sugary substances can increase the presence of encephalopathy.
In wet brain patients, the syndrome is most often connected with destruction of the mamillary bodies in the brain, although other areas can also be affected.
Wet brain is typically diagnosed upon examination by a trained physician in the presence of lack of coordination, balance and speech (ataxia), loss of control over eye movements, amnesia, and confusion. Before making a wet brain diagnosis, doctors must first rule out stroke or dementia, the other two main causes of these symptoms. People with wet brain may also shy away from sunlight or artificial light. These symptoms are associated with the destruction of the mamillary bodies.
Although wet brain syndrome can appear in patients who have had stomach stapling, have a disorder that restricts absorption of nutrients (like Chron’s disease), or have had a diet rich in polished rice, alcoholics are the main suffers of this disease. Recovery from wet brain can only be achieved if the B1 deficiency is reversed before amnesia or psychosis has occurred. The most common treatment is intravenous or intramuscular injections of thiamine, with follow-up doses by mouth. When thiamine replacement does not work, some patients respond to the same drugs used to treat Alzheimer’s disease. If left untreated, wet brain can lead to coma or death.
Even if an alcoholic does not develop full-blown wet brain syndrome, prolonged heavy alcohol consumption likely results in some loss of brain function. Thus, it is always recommended that heavy alcohol users (both active and in recovery) add a vitamin B complex supplement to their diet. Because supplements are not always the best way to ingested necessary vitamins and minerals, foods rich in vitamin B1 such as sunflower seeds, tuna, beans and peas, Brussels sprouts, asparagus, and romaine lettuce should be consumed regularly. As cooking often destroys nutrients in foods, consumption of these foods in raw or undercooked form should be encouraged, if palatable.
