Nanoparticle-based Drug Delivery Systems Crossing Blood-brain Barrier - Hope for Future Treatment of Neurodegenerative Disorders?
Abstract
Due to the continually rising prevalence and lack of effective therapy, neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease, are among the most serious problems of modern medicine. Even though promising compounds with potential therapeutic effect have been developed, blood-brain barrier impedes their transport to the central nervous system.
Nanotechnologies produce particles with properties that enable them to cross the blood-brain barrier and thus provide hope in solving this problem. Wide utilization of nanoparticles for transportation of drugs is prevented by our limited knowledge of their biological properties and their safety profile.
Further developments in this field together with increasing understanding of the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration may lead to development of effective therapy in the future