Excerpt from National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Annual Report of Intramural Research: Occtober 1, 1988 to September 30, 1989 Other intellectual functions distinguishes Korsakoff's psychosis from alcoholic dementia (which may be clinically indistinguishable from the most common cause of dementia, Alzheimer's disease). We have recently found that sleep in Korsakoff patients is characterized by a reduced rem latency compared to normal volunteers, whereas Alzheimer patients have normal latencies. Furthermore, delta sleep is reduced in Alzheimer's disease, but is normal in Korsakoff patients. We have also demonstrated reduced daily excretion of the major urinary metabolite of melatonin, hydroxymelatonin, in patients with Korsakoff's psychosis. This finding is suggestive of impaired pineal function. Genetic differences in thiamine metabolism may predispose patients to develop Korsa koff's psychosis. Most patients with Korsakoff's psychosis whom we have studied have had a transketolase with reduced affinity for thiamine pyrophos phate. The majority of alcoholics with cognitive impairment demonstrate fea tures characteristic of both syndromes. Pharmacologic modulation of neuro transmitter systems may be effective in treatment of the subcortical syndrome, whereas alcoholic dementia may require treatment strategies similar to those in Alzheimer's disease. This protocol is intended to utilize clinical, neuro radiological, physiological, and neuropharmacological tests to differentiate these two pathologic entities, to follow a longitudinal course, and to relate variables in treatment protocols to outcome. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.