American Board of Surgery Qualifying Exam (ABS QE) Practice Test

Wernicke's encephalopathy is associated with deficiency of which vitamin?

1. Niacin

2. Cobalamin

3. Thiamine

4. Folate

The correct answer is: Thiamine

Wernicke's encephalopathy is a neurological condition that is primarily linked to a deficiency of thiamine, also known as vitamin B1. This condition is often associated with chronic alcoholism, but can also occur in individuals with severe malnutrition, certain eating disorders, or conditions that affect nutrient absorption. Thiamine is crucial for the proper functioning of the brain and nervous system, as it plays a key role in carbohydrate metabolism and energy production. In the context of Wernicke's encephalopathy, the absence of adequate thiamine leads to a disruption of energy metabolism in the brain, which can result in symptoms such as confusion, ataxia, and ophthalmoplegia. This triad of symptoms is classically associated with the condition. The other vitamins mentioned, including niacin, cobalamin (vitamin B12), and folate, are important for various physiological processes but are not directly related to Wernicke's encephalopathy. Niacin deficiency is associated with pellagra, cobalamin deficiency is linked to neuropathy and megaloblastic anemia, and folate deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anemia and neural tube defects, but none of these deficiencies produce the specific symptoms and neurological manifestations found in