NLRP3 and Cognitive impairment: In light of these findings, we hypothesize that sepsis triggers NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis, neuro-inflammatory responses, and cognitive deficits through the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway, and that administration of the NLRP3 inhibitor MCC950 and the caspase-1 inhibitor Ac-YVAD-CMK could attenuate hippocampal neuronal pyroptosis and neuroinflammation, reducing long-term cognitive deficits and improving survival rates.