Delirium pathophysiology: An updated hypothesis of the etiology of acute brain failure

Delirium is the most common neuropsychiatric syndrome encountered by clinicians dealing with older adults and the medically ill and is best characterized by 5 core domains: cognitive deficits, attentional deficits, circadian rhythm dysregulation, emotional dysregulation, and alteration in psychomotor functioning.

An extensive literature review and consolidation of published data into a novel interpretation of known pathophysiological causes of delirium.