Seeking immediate treatment can reverse and help prevent a further progression of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. Without treatment, wet brain can be a life-threatening, debilitating condition. Chronic alcoholics, especially in the United States, are at the greatest risk of developing wet brain syndrome or its symptoms. Alcohol is the main cause behind wet brain syndrome as it prevents the body from utilizing thiamine and reduces the thiamine stores in our body. Thiamine is stored in the liver, and by drinking alcohol, it can get depleted. When someone drinks a large amount of alcohol, the enzymes that help turn thiamine into active compounds are prevented from working.

It also damages essential supporting cells and interferes with your normal memory function. The most important thing regarding the treatment for wet brain syndrome is recognizing that a person is struggling with alcohol addiction and cannot be treated by themselves. It would help to consult medical experts and addiction specialists 5 Tips to Consider When Choosing a Sober Living House about the condition. After the initial diagnosis, you will finally know whether you are suffering from this. Wet brain syndrome is a medical condition that develops over time when an individual drinks a large amount of alcohol. As a result, it can lead to brain damage, and that condition is known as wet brain syndrome.

Alcohol–thiamine interactions

This is because glucose will quickly eat up the body’s remaining thiamine reserves. This will only worsen wet brain symptoms, especially if additional thiamine is not given. To counter this, a higher dose of thiamine supplement is given to patients. One medication that will always be prescribed for wet brain treatment is thiamine, or vitamin B1, supplements. This medication can be prescribed through oral means or can be injected intravenously or intramuscularly into the body. Most patients receive thiamine supplements two to three times a day.

In addition, they may make up false stories without consciously meaning to deceive. For example, you may undergo unusual changes in your normal behavior. In addition, you may walk unsteadily or feel disoriented or delirious. It is especially hard for those patients who cannot recall and share their medical history. Dr. Deena is the Chief Clinical Officer of Westwind Recovery®, an award-winning outpatient treatment center in Los Angeles where she oversees the clinical and administrative program and treatment methods. Dr. Deena is a doctor of psychology and licensed clinical social worker since 1993.

What Is Wet Brain? Can It Be Reversed?

Heart rate, eye movements, body temperature, and even a person’s walk could all signal a doctor to a possible thiamine deficiency. However, doctors may suspect thiamine deficiency or malnutrition based on physical appearance. For example, a person in the Korsakoff’s psychosis stage of wet brain may begin to notice tachycardia or a more rapid heartbeat.

If it is not treated or managed, this part of the condition could even become life threatening. The prognosis of this part of the disease will depend on when thiamine supplementation is prescribed to patients. Those who receive thiamine supplements early on are more likely to recover. With that said, they may still sustain some minor permanent damages to the brain. Acute alcohol exposure interferes
with the absorption of thiamine from the gastrointestinal tract at low, but
not at high, thiamine concentrations (Hoyumpa 1980).