Review Article
Nanoneuromedicines for degenerative, inflammatory, and infectious nervous system diseases

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nano.2014.12.014Get rights and content
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Abstract

Interest in nanoneuromedicine has grown rapidly due to the immediate need for improved biomarkers and therapies for psychiatric, developmental, traumatic, inflammatory, infectious and degenerative nervous system disorders. These, in whole or in part, are a significant societal burden due to growth in numbers of affected people and in disease severity. Lost productivity of the patient and his or her caregiver, and the emotional and financial burden cannot be overstated. The need for improved health care, treatment and diagnostics is immediate. A means to such an end is nanotechnology. Indeed, recent developments of health-care enabling nanotechnologies and nanomedicines range from biomarker discovery including neuroimaging to therapeutic applications for degenerative, inflammatory and infectious disorders of the nervous system. This review focuses on the current and future potential of the field to positively affect clinical outcomes.

From the Clinical Editor

Many nervous system disorders remain unresolved clinical problems. In many cases, drug agents simply cannot cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) into the nervous system. The advent of nanomedicines can enhance the delivery of biologically active molecules for targeted therapy and imaging. This review focused on the use of nanotechnology for degenerative, inflammatory, and infectious diseases in the nervous system.

Abbreviations

amyloid beta
AD
Alzheimer’s disease
ADDL
amyloid-β-derived diffusible ligand
ALS
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
ApoE
apolipoprotein E
ART
antiretroviral therapy
BBB
blood–brain barrier
CNS
central nervous system
CSF
cerebral spinal fluid
CTE
chronic traumatic encephalopathies
EAE
experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis
MOG
myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein
MP
mononuclear phagocyte
MPIO
microparticles of iron oxide
MRI
magnetic resonance imaging
MS
multiple sclerosis
NAC
N-acetyl cysteine
NGF
nerve growth factor
NRTI
nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
PAMAM
polyamidoamine
PBCA
poly(n-butyl cyanoacrylate)
PD
Parkinson’s disease
PEG
polyethylene glycol
PET
positron emission tomography
QD
quantum dots
RES
reticuloendothelial system
SLNs
solid lipid nanoparticles
SPIO
superparamagnetic iron oxide
STL
Solanum tuberosum lectin
Tregs
regulatory T cells
USPIO
ultra-small superparamagnetic iron oxide
VCAM
vascular cell adhesion molecule-1
VSPIO
very-small superparamagnetic iron oxide

Key words

Nanoneuromedicine
Diagnostics
Neurodegenerative disorders
Nanotechnology
Drug development

Cited by (0)

Funding: Funding for this work (Grant account no. W81XWH-11-1-0700) was provided by the US Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. University of Nebraska Medical Center research support includes individual donations from Dr. Carol Swarts and Frances and Louie Blumkin, the Vice Chancellor’s office of Research, University of Nebraska Medical Center, and ViiV Healthcare. National Institutes of Health grants to researchers at Iowa State University and the University of Nebraska Medical Center: P01 MH064570, R01 MH104147, P01 DA028555, R01 NS036126, P01 NS031492, 2R01 NS034239, P30 MH062261, R01 AG043540, P01 NS43985, (HEG); R01 NS070190 (RLM); P20GM103480 (TB), R01 NS 074443R01 NS039958, R01 ES010586 and R01 ES019267 (AGK) are gratefully acknowledged.