Current Understanding of Long-Term Cognitive Impairment After Sepsis

Sepsis is recognized as a life-threatening multi-organ dysfunction resulting from a dysregulated host response to infection. Although the incidence and mortality of sepsis decrease significantly due to timely implementation of anti-infective and support therapies, accumulating evidence suggests that...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Ying Li, Muhuo Ji, Jianjun Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-05-01
Series:Frontiers in Immunology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.855006/full
Description
Summary:Sepsis is recognized as a life-threatening multi-organ dysfunction resulting from a dysregulated host response to infection. Although the incidence and mortality of sepsis decrease significantly due to timely implementation of anti-infective and support therapies, accumulating evidence suggests that a great proportion of survivors suffer from long-term cognitive impairment after hospital discharge, leading to decreased life quality and substantial caregiving burdens for family members. Several mechanisms have been proposed for long-term cognitive impairment after sepsis, which are not mutually exclusive, including blood-brain barrier disruption, neuroinflammation, neurotransmitter dysfunction, and neuronal loss. Targeting these critical processes might be effective in preventing and treating long-term cognitive impairment. However, future in-depth studies are required to facilitate preventive and/or treatment strategies for long-term cognitive impairment after sepsis.
ISSN:1664-3224