One of the most severe consequences of long-term alcoholism on mental functioning is Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS), a devastating memory disorder in which a person appears to forget the incidents of his or her daily life as soon as they occur (see Oscar-Berman 1990). Because of this dramatic loss of short-term memory (also called anterograde amnesia), patients with KS virtually live in the past. For example, someone who developed KS in the 1960’s might believe that the President of the United States is Dwight Eisenhower or John Kennedy. Some alcoholics may have a genetic component or predisposition to develop this amnesic condition: These patients may have an enzyme deficiency that prevents their bodies from using thiamine (a B vitamin) efficiently.4 This deficiency, coupled with a diet high in alcohol and low in thiamine (along with other nutrients), may lead to brain damage causing the amnesia.
