Criminal behavior in alcohol-related dementia and Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome: a Nationwide Register Study

Chronic heavy alcohol use may lead to permanent brain damage, cognitive impairment, and dementia. While the link between alcohol use and crime is strong, virtually no research exists on the criminal behavior of patients with the alcohol-related neurocognitive disorders of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome (WKS) and alcohol-related dementia (ARD). The study population included all persons diagnosed with WKS (n = 1149) or ARD (n = 2432) in Finland in 1998–2015. Data on diagnoses, mortality, and crime were obtained from Finnish nationwide registers. Crime incidences were calculated 4 years before and after diagnosis. Crime types, incidences, and mortality were compared between disorders and with the general population. Altogether 35.6