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Wernicke's encephalopathy

Etymology:

Named after Carl Wernicke (1848–1905), German physician + Gr. enképhalos: “brain” + Gr. páthos: “suffering”

Definition:

The presence of neurological symptoms — classically, ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and confusion — caused by biochemical lesions of the central nervous system after exhaustion of B-vitamin reserves, in particular thiamine

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