Psychiatric Significance of the Plasma Concentrations of Magnesium and Vitamin B1 in Alcoholism and Delirium Tremens: Alcohol is a Biological Solvent

In the literature, a deficiency of magnesium or vitamin B1 in alcoholics is considered of etiologic importance in the development of delirium tremens or alcoholic encephalopathy (AE). As AE are comprised mnestic disorders, so severe as to lead to social invalidation, Korsakoff syndrome and dementia. Upon admission, the plasma concentrations of magnesium and vitamin B1 were determined in cases with alcoholism (56) or delirium tremens (43). Magnesium was as low in alcoholics as in delirium tremens cases (m-2 S.D.), vitamin B1 was in the alcoholics just below the 95 percent confidence level but very low in the delirium tremens group. The recovered cases had slightly subnormal plasma concentrations of magnesium (m-1a2 S.D.) and vitamin B1 upon admission, as did the AE cases admitted with alcoholism. Just the AE cases that were admitted with delirium tremens showed very low levels of magnesium (m-3 S.D.) and of vitamin B1 Dept. of Psychiatry, Radboud Hospital Theodoor Craanenlaan 4 6500 HB Nijmegen The Netherlands Paper read at the AOP 10th Anniversary Symposion, New Orleans, 9th May 1981. upon admission. It is concluded that a delirium tremens does not arise because of a magnesium deficiency, possibly in relation to a vitamin B1 deficiency. An AE is not caused by a pure magnesium deficiency, while a vitamin B1 deficiency is of some importance only in AE cases who were admitted with delirium. A combined deficiency of magnesium and vitamin B1 is not important to AE. AE can arise without any deficiency of magnesium or vitamin B1 in alcoholics.