behavior disorder caused by thiamine deficiency, most commonly due to chronic alcohol abuse; Wernicke's encephalopathy involves confusion, ataxia, nystagmus and ophthalmoplegia and is generally reversible by thiamine administration; Korsakoff's syndrome, involving severe anterograde and retrograde amnesia, may appear later and complete recovery is less frequent.
Also applicable to/known as
Alcoholic polyneuritic psychosis
Korsakoff's psychosis, alcoholic
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (alcoholic)
ICD-9-CM Volume 2 Index Entries That Refer To 291.1
2008 ICD-9-CM Diagnosis Code 291.1
291.1
