Endocrine function in alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome.

Hypothalamic-pituitary function was studied by means of several dynamic endocrine tests in 19 patients with alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome, 17 non-amnesic alcoholics and 21 non-alcoholic controls. The responses of thyroid stimulating hormone, prolactin, follicle stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone to a combined thyrotropin releasing hormone and gonadoliberin stimulation test did not differ significantly. For the dexamethasone suppression test, the Korsakoff patients had significantly higher basal serum cortisol and 08:00 hr post-dexamethasone cortisol levels than non-alcoholic controls. These findings raise the possibility that chronically elevated cortisol levels may contribute to cognitive impairment in alcoholic Korsakoff's syndrome.