Diseases

Wernicke Encephalopathy

An acute neurological disorder characterized by the triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and disturbances of mental activity or consciousness. Eye movement abnormalities include nystagmus, external rectus palsies, and reduced conjugate gaze. THIAMINE DEFICIENCY and chronic ALCOHOLISM are associated conditions. Pathologic features include periventricular petechial hemorrhages and neuropil breakdown in the diencephalon and brainstem. Chronic thiamine deficiency may lead to KORSAKOFF SYNDROME. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1139-42; Davis & Robertson, Textbook of Neuropathology, 2nd ed, pp452-3)

National Library of MedicineMedical Subject Headings2026

Structured Summary

Abstract

An acute neurological disorder characterized by the triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, and disturbances of mental activity or consciousness. Eye movement abnormalities include nystagmus, external rectus palsies, and reduced conjugate gaze. THIAMINE DEFICIENCY and chronic ALCOHOLISM are associated conditions. Pathologic features include periventricular petechial hemorrhages and neuropil breakdown in the diencephalon and brainstem. Chronic thiamine deficiency may lead to KORSAKOFF SYNDROME. (Adams et al., Principles of Neurology, 6th ed, pp1139-42; Davis & Robertson, Textbook of Neuropathology, 2nd ed, pp452-3)

MeSH Record

Classification

Broader headings

Related Concepts

Knowledge Graph

Loading graph…

Drag nodes to rearrange; hover to trace links; click a node to open its page.

MeSH Record

Synonyms

20 entry terms
  • Beriberi, Cerebral
  • Encephalopathy, Gayet-Wernicke
  • Encephalopathy, Wernicke
  • Encephalopathy, Wernicke's
  • Gayet-Wernicke Encephalopathy
  • Wernicke Disease
  • Wernicke Polioencephalitis, Superior Hemorrhagic
  • Wernicke Superior Hemorrhagic Polioencephalitis
  • Wernicke Syndrome
  • Wernicke's Disease
  • Wernicke's Encephalopathy
  • Wernicke's Polioencephalitis, Superior Hemorrhagic
  • Wernicke's Superior Hemorrhagic Polioencephalitis
  • Wernicke's Syndrome
  • Cerebral Beriberi
  • Encephalopathies, Wernicke
  • Encephalopathy, Gayet Wernicke
  • Encephalopathy, Wernickes
  • Gayet Wernicke Encephalopathy
  • Wernicke Encephalopathies

MeSH Record

Aspects Covered

35 allowable subheadings

Indexed with the subheadings blood, cerebrospinal fluid, chemically induced, classification, complications, congenital, diagnosis, diagnostic imaging, diet therapy, drug therapy, economics, embryology, enzymology, epidemiology, ethnology, etiology, genetics, history, immunology, metabolism, microbiology, mortality, nursing, parasitology, pathology, physiopathology, prevention & control, psychology, radiotherapy, rehabilitation, surgery, therapy, urine, veterinary, virology.

MeSH Record

History Note

2000(1964)

MeSH Hierarchy

Tree Numbers

  1. C10w.228w.140w.163.960w
  2. C18.452w.132.960w
  3. C18.654w.521w.500.133w.699.827w.822w
  4. C25.775w.100.625w
  5. F03w.900w.100.875w

AMA Style

References

  1. National Library of Medicine. Wernicke Encephalopathy. Medical Subject Headings (MeSH). 2026. Unique ID D014899. http://id.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/2026/D014899
  2. Wernicke Encephalopathy. In: Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wernicke_encephalopathy
  3. Wernicke Encephalopathy. In: Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1573307