Which of the following best describes the Korsakoff case’s memory symptom profile?

• A. Memory impairment with confabulation in the context of chronic alcoholism
• B. Purely auditory memory loss
• C. Isolated long-term memory loss
• D. No memory issues

Answer: (A)

Korsakoff syndrome is marked by severe problems with forming and retrieving memories, often accompanied by confabulations—fabricated but seemingly plausible memories used to fill gaps. This pattern arises from thiamine (B1) deficiency related to chronic alcohol use, which damages memory-related brain regions such as the mammillary bodies and thalamus. Because of this, the memory profile seen in Korsakoff is best described as memory impairment with confabulation in the context of chronic alcoholism. It isn’t limited to a single sensory modality like auditory memory, nor is it simply isolated long-term memory loss or no memory issues at all; the hallmark is widespread memory disruption coupled with confabulation.