Chapter 18: alcohol-related cognitive disorders

Question 1

Chronic effects of alchohol abuse

Answer 1

Alchohol mimics the neurotransmitter GABA, which inhibits the activity of the nervous system. Alcohol abuse can cause brain volume loss in the frontal cortex and increased cerebrospinal fluid in those areas. Also causes loss of the parietal cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, thalamus and hypothalamus. Most of this is due to demyelination.

Cognitive effects: impairments in:
- executive functions
- social cognition
- working memory
- visuospatial function
- episodic memory
- Can also lead to korsakov, wernicke’s encephalopathy and dementia.

Question 2

Continuity hypothesis of alcohol abuse

Answer 2

There is a direct relationship between the severity of alcohol consumption and the severity of the cognitive consequences. When someone stopt drinking the most cognitive improvements are seen in the first 4 to 8 weeks, but can still be seen a year later.

Question 3

Wernicke’s encephalopathy

Answer 3

B1 deficiency because of malnutrition which causes mental confusion, ataxia and impaired eye movements and infections.

Question 4

Korsakoff’s syndrome

Answer 4

Occurs after a maltreated Wernicke’s encephalopathy and causes impairments in episodic memory, anterograde and reterograde amnesia, impaired social cognition, irritability, agitation, disinhibition or apathy. Mostly the thalamus, prefrontal areas and hippocampus are affected.