Targeted delivery of nano-therapeutics for major disorders of the central nervous system

Abstract

Major central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including brain tumors, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and stroke, are significant threats to human health. Although impressive advances in the treatment of CNS disorders have been made during the past few decades, the success rates are still moderate if not poor. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) hampers the access of systemically administered drugs to the brain. The development of nanotechnology provides powerful tools to deliver therapeutics to target sites. Anchoring them with specific ligands can endow the nano-therapeutics with the appropriate properties to circumvent the BBB. In this review, the potential nanotechnology-based targeted drug delivery strategies for different CNS disorders are described. The limitations and future directions of brain-targeted delivery systems are also discussed.