Convergence of sepsis-associated encephalopathy pathogenesis onto microglia

Abstract Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is a neurological dysfunction induced by sepsis, with symptoms ranging from mild delirium to deep coma. About 70% of patients with severe systemic infection develop SAE and with more than half of surviving patients suffering from long-term cognitive de...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Dan Xiao, Xiao Wang, Wanting Liang, Yunshu Yang, Yuting Du, Chunmao Liu, Feiyang Xu, Yang Yang, Mengying Wei, Guodong Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-06-01
Series:Journal of Translational Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12967-025-06635-8
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Summary:Abstract Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is a neurological dysfunction induced by sepsis, with symptoms ranging from mild delirium to deep coma. About 70% of patients with severe systemic infection develop SAE and with more than half of surviving patients suffering from long-term cognitive deficits, which seriously damaged the quality of their daily life and brought a heavy burden to society. The pathogenesis of SAE is multifactorial, including activated inflammation, blood- brain barrier (BBB) disruption, cerebral blood flow impairment, and neurotransmitter disturbances. Microglia mediate multiple SAE pathologies. In this review, we summarized the most recent findings in the roles of microglia in every stage of SAE pathogenesis, focusing on the molecular pathways in microglia activation and downstream effects. We also demonstrated the novel therapeutic studies targeting microglia in SAE. Deep insight into the role of microglia in SAE is of great importance in exploring pathogenesis and developing effective remedies of SAE.
ISSN:1479-5876