• Ha-Yeun Chung, Jonathan Wickel, Frank M Brunkhorst, and Christian Geis.
• Section Translational Neuroimmunology, Department of Neurology, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany.
• J Clin Med. 2020 Mar 5; 9 (3).

AbstractSepsis is a major cause of death in intensive care units worldwide. The acute phase of sepsis is often accompanied by sepsis-associated encephalopathy, which is highly associated with increased mortality. Moreover, in the chronic phase, more than 50% of surviving patients suffer from severe and long-term cognitive deficits compromising their daily quality of life and placing an immense burden on primary caregivers. Due to a growing number of sepsis survivors, these long-lasting deficits are increasingly relevant. Despite the high incidence and clinical relevance, the pathomechanisms of acute and chronic stages in sepsis-associated encephalopathy are only incompletely understood, and no specific therapeutic options are yet available. Here, we review the emergence of sepsis-associated encephalopathy from initial clinical presentation to long-term cognitive impairment in sepsis survivors and summarize pathomechanisms potentially contributing to the development of sepsis-associated encephalopathy.

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