A 45-year-old man is brought to the ER by his wife because he has exhibited confusion for the past few days. The attending physician asks him to follow his pen with his eyes. He notes that on extreme lateral motion his eyes exhibit an involuntary rhythmic movement toward the midline and then back to lateral gaze. The patient is unable to do finger-to-nose or heel-to-shin movements or walk in a straight line by placing the heel of one foot directly in front of the toes of the other foot. Given these signs and symptoms, which of the following vitamin deficiencies is most likely in this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms described are indicative of Wernicke's encephalopathy, which is caused by a deficiency in vitamin B1 (thiamine). This condition is characterized by confusion, ophthalmoplegia (eye movement abnormalities), and ataxia (lack of voluntary coordination of muscle movements).

A 45-Year-Old Man Is Brought to the ER by His