A relation between thiamine level and ataxia was not observed in our alcoholics, although thiamine deficiency has been associated with cerebellar compromise (cf., Mulholland, 2006). This may be due to the fact that the thiamine measure used in this study assessed current level of TDP and is not necessarily reflective of past levels of deficiencies. Additionally, the role of genetics in the understanding of differences among alcoholics related to absorption and utilization of thiamine in the central nervous system and the differential susceptibility of brain structures are not yet well understood (Hazell, Faim, Wertheimer, Silva, & Marques, 2011; Thomson, 2000).
