What it means
Carl Wernicke described two different conditions. Wernicke encephalopathyVER-nih-kee en-sef-uh-LOP-uh-theeA sudden, serious brain disorder that results from a severe lack of thiamine (vitamin B1).encephal/o brain-pathy diseaseFull entry is a sudden brain disorder from a lack of thiamine (vitamin B1), most often in heavy alcohol use or severe malnutrition, with confusion, abnormal eye movements and an unsteady walk. Wernicke aphasia comes from damage to Wernicke's area, the language center in the left temporal lobe: the person speaks fluently but the words make little sense, and they have trouble understanding what others say.
For the nurse
In a client at risk of thiamine deficiency, thiamine is usually given before glucose-containing IV fluids. For a client with Wernicke aphasia, use short sentences, gestures and pictures, and check understanding.
At a glance
| Also written | Wernicke's, Wernicke’s |
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Related terms
aphasia
Loss or impairment of the ability to understand or use language, from damage to the brain.
Wernicke encephalopathy
A sudden, serious brain disorder that results from a severe lack of thiamine (vitamin B1).