Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome has ______ amnesia?

Prepare for the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) Exam with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question includes insights and explanations to help you excel. Get ready for your certification journey!

Multiple Choice

Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome has ______ amnesia?

In Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, the main memory problem is anterograde amnesia—the inability to form new memories after the onset of the condition. This arises from damage to diencephalic structures (like the mammillary bodies and thalamus) due to thiamine deficiency often seen with chronic alcoholism. People with Korsakoff typically have severe trouble learning new information and events, while older memories may be relatively preserved, though confabulation and gaps in memory are common. Retrograde amnesia can occur to some extent, but it is not the defining feature; the hallmark is the failure to form new memories. Therefore, the best answer is anterograde amnesia.

In Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, the main memory problem is anterograde amnesia—the inability to form new memories after the onset of the condition. This arises from damage to diencephalic structures (like the mammillary bodies and thalamus) due to thiamine deficiency often seen with chronic alcoholism. People with Korsakoff typically have severe trouble learning new information and events, while older memories may be relatively preserved, though confabulation and gaps in memory are common. Retrograde amnesia can occur to some extent, but it is not the defining feature; the hallmark is the failure to form new memories. Therefore, the best answer is anterograde amnesia.

More practice questions