Sepsis-associated encephalopathy

Acute symptoms of SAE can include sickness behavior, lethargy, delirium, cognitive, memory, and attention impairment, depression, anxiety, agitation, motor problems, seizures, and, in severe cases, coma. Post-acute symptoms of SAE can include cognitive and memory deficits and neuromyopathy, among others.

There are currently no well-accepted treatments for the prevention or treatment of SAE symptoms, and treatment is largely symptom-based. In the acute phase, certain medications may aggravate symptoms and may be avoided, such as anticholinergics, antihistamines, sedatives, benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, and anticonvulsants (in those without seizures). Certain medications such as statins, the antidepressant fluoxetine, and resveratrol may reduce neuroinflammation and the acute and long-term symptoms of SAE. However, these findings are based on animal studies, and more research is needed in this area. In addition to the preceding, the serotonin 5-HT₂ receptor agonist and serotonergic psychedelic 25H-NBOMe has been found to attenuate sepsis-associated depressive-like behavior in rodents, as measured by the forced swim test (FST).

The term "sepsis-associated encephalopathy" was first used by 1990 and this was when the first comprehensive study of this condition was published.