Impact of Nanoparticles on Brain Health: An Up to Date Overview

Abstract

Nanoparticles are zero-dimensional nanomaterials and, based on their nature, they can be categorized into organic, inorganic, and composites nanoparticles. Due to their unique physical and chemical properties, nanoparticles are extensively used in a variety of fields, including medicine, pharmaceutics, and food industry. Although they have the potential to improve the diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases, it is fundamentally important to develop standardized toxicological studies, which can prevent the induction of neurotoxic effects. The focus of this review is to emphasize both the beneficial and negative effects of nanoparticles on brain health.

Nanotechnology Meets Oncology: Nanomaterials in Brain Cancer Research, Diagnosis and Therapy

“…An interesting option for direct delivery to the brain is also transnasal administration through the olfactory bulb. On the other hand, the non-invasive administration methods are based on approaches that enable crossing the BBB, which have to consider the anatomical structure of the brain capillaries, transporter mechanisms, the extracellular matrix components, and also on the directed transport of the fluids across the brain [5,14,15,16,17].…”

“…This is of great importance, since, with targeted delivery systems, chemotherapeutic drugs like paclitaxel can be delivered to the brain in concentrations lower than standard therapeutic doses of the free drug, which results in safer drug dosing while still achieving desired therapeutic efficacy [14]. Important advantages of the nanoparticles in treatment and diagnostics are also biodegradability, controlled loading and release of the transported drugs, stability of the nanoparticles and shelf life, and the non-invasive approach [17]. For transport of many molecules, inhibition of transmembrane efflux through systems like P-glycoprotein can also be overcome with appropriate assembly (coating) of nanoparticles [15].…”

“…It has been shown that, when superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles are coated with bovine serum albumin and further conjugated with folic acid, which is a tumor-specific ligand, it can be used for tumor-targeted contrasting agents. Further labelling with fluorescein isothiocyanate enabled also intracellular visualization [17,100]. Magnetic characteristics of inorganic nanoparticles can also be used in treatment through the induction of hyperthermia.…”

Neurotoxicity of Nanomaterials: An Up-to-Date Overview

“…Common neurological adverse effects (Figure 2) regarding morphological changes involve neuronopathy, axonopathy, myelinopathy, and gliopathy [61]. The main mechanisms for neurotoxicity involve the excessive production of reactive oxygen species leading to oxidative stress, the release of cytokines causing neuroinflammation, and dysregulations of apoptosis leading to neuronal death [62]. However, there is a considerable lack of information regarding the neurotoxicity of nanomaterials, which complicates risk assessments following exposure.…”

Subchronic and chronic toxicity evaluation of inorganic nanoparticles for delivery applications

“…There is an effort to use nanoparticles in diagnosis and therapy of brain tumors, neurodegenerative disorders, and stroke. [239] Of course, the concern is related to the effect of nanoparticles on CNS health and as a side effect of other applications of these nanoparticles, but not necessarily as a goal of delivery to the brain. The in vitro and in vivo neurotoxicity of different types of nanoparticles was reported earlier.…”