VASOPRESSIN SECRETION AND MEMORY IMPAIRMENT IN ALCOHOLIC KORSAKOFFS-SYNDROME

The response of arginine vasopressin (AVP) to an intravenous hypertoni c saline infusion was investigated in 19 patients with alcoholic Korsa koff's syndrome, 17 non-amnesic alcoholics and 21 nonalcoholic control s. Compared with non-alcoholic controls the Korsakoff patients had ele vated basal AVP levels and showed erratic fluctuation of AVP secretion , not related to changes in serum sodium levels. The nonamnesic alcoho lics had a similar, but less severe derangement. Neuropsychological te sts revealed significant correlations between basal AVP levels and mem ory performance in the non-amnesic alcoholics, raising the possibility of a. common lesion-most likely in the diencephalon-for memory impair ment and AVP dysregulation in chronic alcoholics.