View clinical trials related to Wernicke Encephalopathy.
Filter by:The purpose of the study is to evaluate the use of autologous Bone Marrow Derived Stem Cells (BMSC) as a means to improve cognitive impairment as occurs in Alzheimer's Disease and other dementias and to improve behavior and socialization issues which occur in adult Autism Spectrum Disorder. The use of Near Infrared Light, in conjunction with the use of BMSC, will also be assessed.
Patients who suffer Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) have a 30-80% incidence of thiamine deficiency causing Wernicke's Encephalopathy (WE). Intravenous (IV) thiamine replacement is standard practice in the treatment of alcoholic patients presenting to the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department, however routine co-supplementation with magnesium (administered IV as magnesium sulphate ), which is required as a co-factor for thiamine in some metabolic processes, e. g. on the activity of the enzyme transketolase in red blood cells, is not routine practice in the treatment of these patients. Without correction of concomitant magnesium deficiency there may be impaired utilisation of thiamine resulting in a failure to treat WE. This study is designed to determine if administration of magnesium to AUD patients affects red cell transketolasae and serum lactate concentrations by itself, or only acts to increase the effect of thiamine on the activity of this enzyme.
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS), once thought to be a rare condition, is now known to be common in people with nutritional deficiencies or alcohol dependence. The primary cause of WKS is thiamine deficiency, and more than 90% of cases are reported in alcohol dependent patients because alcohol dependence predisposes to severe nutritional deficiency. WKS may lead to significant, long-term brain dysfunction with severe effects on work, personal and social function. Whilst effective treatment may greatly reduce severe disability and the human and social costs of this illness, almost no evidence exists on optimal dosing regimens. This project proposes to develop quality evidence for effective treatment of WKS in an Aboriginal setting.
This research project aims to identify factors that contribute to the heterogeneity observed in neuroradiological and neuropsychological signs of chronic alcoholism. The investigators overarching hypothesis is that the heterogeneity of alcoholic consequences on brain structure and metabolism, and cognition is mainly related to individual differences in pattern of alcohol use, gene pool, nutritional status and history of withdrawal symptoms.