cover image: Cognitive impairments and brain alteration in alcohol use disorder and Korsakoff's syndrome : prognostic value, changes over time, and rehabilitation

20.500.12592/53zsipf

Cognitive impairments and brain alteration in alcohol use disorder and Korsakoff's syndrome : prognostic value, changes over time, and rehabilitation

20 Nov 2020

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is characterized by brain damage and cognitive deficits. These alterations hinder AUD patients to benefit from psychosocial treatment and increase the risk of relapse. It is now clear that cognitive deficits and brain abnormalities can be reversible with drinking cessation in AUD. However, patients with Korsakoff’s syndrome (KS) are described as exhibiting a severe anterograde amnesia supposed to persist over time, even though longitudinal studies in KS patients are very rare. The objective of this thesis is to examine the prognostic value, changes over time, and rehabilitation of the cognitive impairments and brain alterations in AUD and KS. Our results suggest that alexithymia, as well as alteration of limbic and frontocerebellar systems observed early in abstinence, contribute to a poor prognosis regarding alcohol status within the year following detoxification. We highlight that, after detoxification, a short stay as inpatient in a convalescent home favors cognitive improvement, and even a return to a normal level of performance. During this stay, an intensive care including neuropsychological training seems to favor the recovery. Finally, our results indicate that in KS patients, severe memory impairments, sustained by Papez circuit alterations, persist over time. Executive deficits and damage of the fronto-cerebellar circuit may recover but to a limited extent. These results emphasize the need to assess cognitive and brain alteration that have a prognostic value regarding treatment outcome. Results also encourage adapting treatment to favor recovery in AUD, or to compensate for persisting memory impairments in KS.

Authors

Angéline Maillard

Bibliographic Reference
Angéline Maillard. Atteintes cognitives et cérébrales dans le trouble de l'usage d'alcool et le syndrome de Korsakoff : valeur pronostique, évolution et prise en charge. Psychologie. Normandie Université, 2020. Français. ⟨NNT : 2020NORMC017⟩. ⟨tel-03438101⟩
HAL Collection
["Sciences de l'Homme et de la Société", 'INSERM - Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale', "CEA - Commissariat à l'énergie atomique", 'École Pratique des Hautes Études', 'CNRS - Centre national de la recherche scientifique', 'STAR - Dépôt national des thèses électroniques', 'Normandie Université', 'Direction de la recherche fondamentale - sciences du vivant', 'Université Paris sciences et lettres', 'Thèses de Normandie Université', 'Direction de Recherche Fondamentale', 'Université de Caen Normandie', 'U1077 - Neuropsychologie et imagerie de la mémoire humaine', 'TEST-DEV', 'École pratique des hautes études - PSL', "Thèses de l'École Pratique des Hautes Études"]
HAL Identifier
3438101
Institution
['Université de Caen Normandie', "Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives", 'CHU Caen', 'Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale', 'École Pratique des Hautes Études']
Laboratory
Neuropsychologie et imagerie de la mémoire humaine
Published in
France

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