Sepsis and Systemic Inflammatory Syndromes: Effects of Systemic Inflammation on the Brain.

Systemic inflammation induced brain dysfunction is a frequent, yet underrecognized, complication of sepsis. It is driven by systemic-brain immune crosstalk, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, glial activation, and synaptic injury, and is strongly linked to long-term cognitive decline and mental health related problems. Emerging evidence on neuroinflammatory mechanisms as well as established and experimental biomarkers illustrate the different mechanisms and routes used in the bidirectional communication between the brain and systemic immune compartments.