ABSTRACT
In line with this observation is Harper's (1979) finding, that of 51 cases of Wernicke's encephalopathy found at autopsy only 7 had been diagnosed during life. He also found the pathological lesions of Wernicke's encephalopathy present in 1. 7 per cent of all neuropathological autopsies carried out in Perth, Australia, between 1973 and 1976. Since Wernicke's encephalopathy is known to be caused by thiamine (B}) deficiency, this suggests the possibility that vitamin deficiency may be a common cause of brain damage in alcoholics, who have often been found to be malnourished (for review, see Thomson, 1978). In support of this view it is well established that in both prisoner-of-war populations and in human volunteers taking deficient diets, altered psychological states may be found (for review, see lishman, 1978). The psycholugical changes associated with specific vitamin deficiencies are displayed graphically in Figure 14.1.
