Question

Thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency diseases have a lower prevalence now than in the past. However, they are seen as beriberi in some developing regions and in regions of crisis, and as Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome in some alcoholics. One type of beriberi causes neurological symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, and loss of sensations. What is a possible explanation for these symptoms? Thiamine is necessary for gluconeogenesis. Hexokinase requires thiamine. Coenzymes of the pentose phosphate pathway require thiamine as a precursor. Thiamine is a precursor to the cofactor for succinyl coenzyme A synthetase. The brain uses glucose, metabolized in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle, as its main energy source.

Answer 1

The neurological symptoms seen in one type of beriberi can be explained by the impairment of normal brain metabolism due to thiamine deficiency.

Step-by-step explanation:

The possible explanation for the neurological symptoms seen in one type of beriberi, a thiamine deficiency disease, is the impairment of normal brain metabolism due to the lack of thiamine. Thiamine is necessary for the utilization of carbohydrates in the body and plays a role in glycolysis and the citric acid cycle, which are essential processes for providing energy to the brain. Without sufficient thiamine, the brain's main energy source, glucose, cannot be metabolized properly, resulting in symptoms such as weakness, fatigue, and loss of sensations.