Registered Practical Nurse (RPN) Practice Test

What refers to a loss of recent memory where a patient fabricates facts to fill memory gaps?

1. Korsakoff's psychosis

2. Alzheimer's disease

3. Dementia

4. Amnesia

The correct answer is: Korsakoff's psychosis

The term that describes the loss of recent memory where a patient fabricates facts to fill memory gaps is Korsakoff's psychosis. This condition is typically associated with chronic alcoholism and thiamine deficiency, leading to significant cognitive impairments, particularly in memory. In patients with Korsakoff's psychosis, the brain's ability to form new memories is severely compromised, and to cope with memory loss, individuals may create false memories or confabulate, which is the term used for these fabricated memories. Whereas Alzheimer's disease is primarily characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss, it does not specifically involve the fabrication of facts in the same way as Korsakoff's psychosis. Dementia is a broad term that refers to a decline in cognitive function but also does not specifically describe the memory fabrications seen in Korsakoff's. Amnesia generally refers to partial or total loss of memory without necessarily including the specific behavior of confabulation. Hence, the unique feature of memory fabrication during gaps in recent memory is what distinctly aligns Korsakoff's psychosis with the question prompt.