Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

American  

[vair-ni-kuh-kawr-suh-kawf, -kof] / ˈvɛər nɪ kəˈkɔr səˌkɔf, -ˌkɒf /

noun

1. a disorder of the central nervous system characterized by abnormal eye movements, incoordination, confusion, and impaired memory and learning functions, caused by thiamine deficiency, and observed in chronic alcoholism.

---

Etymology

Origin of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome

1965–70; named after German neurologist Karl Wernicke (1848–1905) and Russian psychiatrist Sergeĭ Sergeevich Korsakov (1854–1900), who independently described it