Nanoparticle-Based Therapeutics for Brain Injury

Abstract

Brain injuries affect a large patient population with major physical and emotional suffering for patients and their relatives; at a significant cost to the society. Effective diagnostic and therapeutic options available for brain injuries are limited by the complex brain injury pathology involving blood–brain barrier (BBB). Brain injuries, including ischemic stroke and brain trauma, initiate BBB opening for a short period of time, which is followed by a second reopening for an extended time. The leaky BBB and/or the alterations in the receptor expression on BBB may provide opportunities for therapeutic delivery via nanoparticles (NPs). The approaches for therapeutic interventions via NP delivery are aimed at salvaging the pericontusional/penumbra area for possible neuroprotection and neurovascular unit preservation. The focus of this progress report is to provide a survey of NP strategies employed in cerebral ischemia and brain trauma and finally provide insights for improved NP-based diagnostic/treatment approaches.

Engineered nanoparticles have the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and treatment of many diseases, and currently more than two-dozen nanoparticle systems are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. This progress report summarizes brain injury pathology (ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury) and recent research on nanoparticle applications following brain injury and conclusively provides insights for future nanoparticle-based diagnostic/treatment strategies.

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