THE WERNICKE-KORSAKOFF SYNDROME IN QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA: ANTECEDENTS AND PREVENTION

Abstract

The Wernicke-Korsakoff (W-K) syndrome is commonplace in Queensland, Australia. In a population of mental hospital inpatients with the W-K syndrome, males, particularly single males and widowers, and subjects who had undergone partial gastrectomy were over-represented. Some possible antecedents of the W-K syndrome are examined by focusing, not on W-K patients, but on problem drinkers. The results of a cross-national comparison of drinkers from Queensland, Australia and Merseyside, in the United Kingdom, are presented. The data support the hypothesis that Queensland drinkers are comparatively less involved with their families than Merseyside drinkers. This parallels a social perspective which regards allegiance to a male drinking group as very important in confirming social solidarity and 'mateship' in Australia. Such groups attach no importance to eating, setting the stage for dietary neglect and thiamine deficiency of which the W-K syndrome may be the end result. The fortification of alcoholic beverages with thiamine in Queensland has been previously proposed and attracted much local publicity. It seems possible that this publicity may have contributed to an increased awareness by heavy drinkers in Queensland of the need for supplementary B vitamins. However, this awareness is not so complete as to rule out the need for further measures aimed at reducing the incidence of the W-K syndrome in that state.