Alcohol and the central nervous system

Acute Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is an underdiagnosed cause of reversible coma in the alcoholic patient. Chronic toxic effects of ethanol include nutritional polyneuropathy, cerebellar degeneration, and diffuse cortical damage with resultant alcoholic dementia. The rapid correction of hyponatremia can result in the iatrogenic syndrome of central pontine myelinolysis.