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.