Wernicke encephalopathy is an acute neuropsychiatric disease with heterogeneous 
symptoms, including changes in mental status, ataxia and ocular abnormalities; 
if left untreated, these symptoms can lead to morbidity and even to mortality. 
The treatment is thiamine suppletion. Because of the heterogeneity of the 
symptoms and the high risk of morbidity and mortality if the symptoms are not 
treated, it is vitally important that on observing a patient's early symptoms 
the clinician immediately suspects that the symptoms could point to Wernicke 
encephalopathy.