The British Journal of Psychiatry 139: 153-156 (1981)
© 1981 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Erythrocyte transketolase activity in the Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
D Leigh, A McBurney and H McIlwain
Erythrocyte transketolase activity and the effect of adding thiamine
pyrophosphate (% TPP effect) were measured in subjects suffering from
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome both before and during treatment with thiamine
and/or thiamine tetrahydrofurfuryldisulphide (TTFD). Transketolase activity
was significantly lower in untreated patients than in healthy volunteers.
Treatment with either thiamine or with TTFD restored enzyme levels to
control values but TTFD produced a greater increase than thiamine in enzyme
activity. In a group of seven patients there was no correlation between
duration of TTFD therapy and either increase in erythrocyte transketolase
activity or % decrease in the TPP effect. However, when three patients were
followed at intervals during treatment with TTFD, their erythrocyte
transketolase increased progressively. Neither thiamine nor TTFD produced
clinical improvement in the mental symptoms of Wernicke-Korsakoff psychosis
unless administered early in the course of the disease.