🧠 Wernicke–Korsakoff Syndrome & Vitamin B₁

✅ Answer: (A) Transketolase

📖 What is Wernicke–Korsakoff Syndrome?

Wernicke = Refers to Wernicke encephalopathy, an acute neurological condition associated with severe thiamine deficiency.
Korsakoff = Refers to Korsakoff syndrome, characterized mainly by severe memory impairment and confabulation.

👉 Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome is strongly associated with thiamine (vitamin B₁) deficiency, particularly in people with chronic alcohol use disorder, although it can occur in other conditions causing severe nutritional deficiency.

📖 Why is Transketolase Important?

Transketolase is an enzyme of the pentose phosphate pathway and requires thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP), the active form of vitamin B₁, as a cofactor.

👉 When thiamine is deficient, transketolase activity decreases. Therefore, transketolase is a useful biochemical marker of thiamine deficiency.

🩺 Why is Option (A) Correct?

The pathway can be remembered as:

👉 Therefore, thiamine deficiency → decreased transketolase activity → Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome.

🧠 Classic Features of Wernicke Encephalopathy

• 👁️ Ophthalmoplegia / eye movement abnormalities
• 🚶 Ataxia
• 🧠 Confusion

A useful memory aid is “COW”:

❌ Why Other Options Are Wrong?

(B) Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
❌ G6PD is an important enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway and helps protect red blood cells from oxidative damage. G6PD deficiency is associated with hemolytic anemia, not Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome.

(C) Transaldolase
❌ Transaldolase participates in the pentose phosphate pathway but is not the classic enzyme associated with thiamine deficiency.

(D) Glucokinase
❌ Glucokinase catalyzes the phosphorylation of glucose and is involved in glucose metabolism. It is not associated with Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome.

📋 Quick Recall

📌 Exam Tip: When you see Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome, immediately think thiamine (vitamin B₁) deficiency. Among the given enzymes, transketolase is the classic thiamine-dependent enzyme.