Branched-chain amino acids improve symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy

Cochrane: Hepatic encephalopathy is a brain dysfunction associated with liver disease. Cirrhosis, which is a condition where scar tissue (fibrosis) replaces the normal liver tissue, is the most common cause of hepatic encephalopathy. The severity of the symptoms range from minor signs to coma.

Hepatic Encephalopathy

Author: Dr Tim Davern California Pacific Medical Center 2008-08-12

What is hepatic encephalopathy?

Hepatic encephalopathy is a potentially reversible disturbance of brain function due to liver (hepatic) failure. The syndrome is characterized by a broad spectrum of neuropsychiatric derangements including personality changes, intellectual impairment, and a depressed level of consciousness, and appears to be the result of neurotoxins that accumulate with liver failure.  Ammonia, which is usually metabolized by the liver, is a critical neurotoxin in the development of hepatic encephalopathy, but other toxins are also involved. The neuropsychiatric manifestations of hepatic encephalopathy are reversible with appropriate medical therapy, but the syndrome is a hallmark of advanced, decompensated liver disease and has an overall poor prognosis. Thus, certain patients with hepatic encephalopathy should be referred for liver transplantation.