Beyond the Liver: Neurologic Manifestations of Alcohol Use

Abstract

Alcohol use, while commonly associated with liver damage, also has significant neurologic implications, which often mimic hepatic encephalopathy and complicate diagnosis and management. Alcohol mediates its acute central nervous system effects by altering neurotransmitter balance, notably between gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate. Its chronic neurotoxicity, compounded by thiamine deficiency, results in chronic neurologic complications. Clinically, alcohol-related neurologic disorders present a spectrum from acute intoxication and withdrawal to chronic conditions like Korsakoff syndrome, dementia, cerebellar degeneration, and peripheral neuropathy. This review underscores differentiating these conditions from hepatic encephalopathy and highlights the importance of history-taking and physical examination in clinical practice.

Keywords: Alcohol intoxication; Alcohol withdrawal; Alcohol-related dementia; Cerebellar degeneration; Hepatic encephalopathy; Korsakoff syndrome; Peripheral neuropathy; Wernicke encephalopathy.