You didn't give an age . . . the symptoms sound like a misfolding prion/protein neurodegenerative disease (ND) like Alzheimer's. Or early onset Alzheimer's if he is under age 65. These diseases are a national epidemic. Another prion disease possibility is Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease.
Or he may be suffering Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome from his alcoholism.
Alheimer's is a prion disease:
http://www.sludgevictims.com/pathogens/ALZHEIMERS_is_a_prion_disease.pdf
ok he is having seizures... my husband passed away in 2004 after experiencing some of the same symptoms, all the tests done stated he was fine his brain never showed signs of anything. within a week he passed. keep trying to find out what is going on
Neurological symptoms that come and go, if both structural (tumor, necrotic tissue) , circulatory (including spasming of blood vessels) and seizure disorders are ruled out, the problem may be due to infections, particularly from prions or from a retro-virus (HERV-W). Not all of the infectious agents have been identified. These infectious disease are extremely difficult to identify, and are often progressive.
Differential diagnosis is difficult. If symptoms are relieved by prednisone, lean toward a flare up of an infectious entity.
Certain medications (Lipitor, for example) can cause loss of memory.