It may be reversed by administration of large doses of thiamine, but left untreated may progress to coma and death. Korsakoff's Amnesic Syndrome Korsakoff's amnesic syndrome is a profound impairment of short term memory that results in an almost complete inability to acquire any new information. An associated feature is confabulation, or tendency to fabricate missing memories. The severity of thinking and behavioural problems resulting from ARBI varies from person to person, as does the potential for recovery. Restitution of cellular function is dependent on age.
Younger sufferers have a better chance of recovery.
Some improvement may be expected when a person stops using alcohol and maintains a balanced diet. When a person with ARBI shows improved skills and behaviours, it is not always clear whether this improvement results from a restoration of brain cells or from the person's ability to compensate for the impairment.