Abstract

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy causes long-term health problems in patients with sepsis. This review explores the pathogenesis of sepsis-associated encephalopathy, including its effects on the blood-brain barrier, microglia activation, mitochondrial dysfunction, the inflammatory medium and neurotransmitters and its roles in amino acid balance disorders, hyperammonemia, and intestinal flora imbalance. Understanding the etiology of sepsis-associated encephalopathy may allow the development of adjunctive therapies targeting its underlying mechanism and help develop preventative strategies.

Keywords: Hyperammonemia, intestinal flora imbalance, inflammatory medium, neurotransmitters, sepsis-associated encephalopathy, mitochondrial dysfunction.

Graphical Abstract