Which dementia syndromes are associated with alcohol?
The DSM-IV includes alcohol amnestic syndrome (Korsakoff’s syndrome), in which the amnestic disorder predominates, as well as a more generalized dementia associated with alcoholism.
Both are associated with some degree of visuospatial impairment; neither includes aphasia.
Patients with or without dementia may experience an acute, alcohol-related delirium known as Wernicke’s encephalopathy (usually with confusion, eye movement abnormalities, and ataxia).
