Sepsis: developing new alternatives to reduce neuroinflammation and attenuate brain injury

Sepsis occurs when a systemic infection induces an uncontrolled inflammatory response that results in generalized organ dysfunction. The exacerbated peripheral inflammation can induce, in turn, neuroinflammation which may result in severe impairment of the central nervous system (CNS). Indeed, the ensuing blood-brain barrier disruption associated with sepsis promotes glial activation and starts a storm of proinflammatory cytokines in the CNS that leads to brain dysfunction in sepsis survivors. Endotoxic shock induced in mice by peripheral injection of lipopolysaccharides closely resembles the peripheral and central inflammation observed in sepsis. In this review, we provide an overview of the neuroinflammatory features in sepsis and of recent progress toward the development of new anti-neuroinflammatory therapies seeking to reduce mortality and morbidity in sepsis survivors.