Interactions Between Nanosized Materials and the Brain

Abstract

The current rapid development of nanotechnologies and engineered nanomaterials (ENM) will impact the society in a major fashion during the coming decades. This development also causes substantial safety concerns. Among the many promising applications of ENM, products that can be used for diagnosis and treatment of diseases, including conditions that affect the nervous system, are under development. ENM can pass the blood brain barrier (BBB) and accumulate within the brain. It seems that the nano-form rather than the bulk form of the chemicals pass the BBB, and that there is an inverse relationship between particle size and the ability to penetrate the BBB. Although translocation of ENM to the brain is possible during experimental conditions, the health relevance for real-life situations is far from clear. One major reason for this is that studies have been using nanoparticle concentrations that are far higher than the ones that can be expected during realistic exposures. However, very high exposure to the CNS can cause effects on neurotransmission, redox homeostasis and behavior. Available studies have been focusing on possible effects of the first generation of ENM. It will be necessary to study possible health effects also of expected novel sophisticated materials, independent of the outcome of present studies. The prospects for intended or targeted medical applications are promising since it has been shown that ENM can be made to pass the BBB and reach specific regions or cells within the brain.

Decreased viability and neurite length in neural cells treated with chitosan-dextran sulfate nanocomplexes

“…Reports have shown that engineered nanomaterials can enter the brain and cause tissue damage (Simkó andMattsson 2014, Lima, Guimarães et al 2019), although data about nanoparticles toxicity remain limited. Chitosan nanoparticles have already been shown to cause zebrafish embryos death and malformation (Hu, Qi et al 2011) and more recently, chitosan-coated zein nanoparticles were shown to enhance anxiety and depression in rats exposed (Lima, Guimarães et al 2019).…”

Effect of maternal exposure of silver nanoparticles on the histogenesis of cerebellum in post-implantation of albino rats embryos

“…The results revealed obvious toxicity of AgNPs of embryos' brain because these nanoparticles can be absorbed, and then accumulated in the brain regions by passing through the (BBB) especially in early development of embryo when the barrier is not full formed, this may be cause of some histological changes which occur in the development of early cerebellum of the embryos mainly in the mothers who receive the AgNPs during pregnancy, finally leading to dysfunctions of (CNS). Recent studies revealed that engineering nanoparticles can pass the blood brain barrier (BBB) and accumulate within the brain [10] [14]. The BBB is a well protective structure, which is mainly composed of endothelial cells, astrocytes, and pericytes [15].…”

“…Cages were cleaned and sterilized in different times with 70% ethanol. After mating, the gestational day zero was defined as the day when spermatozoa were observed in the smear taken from females'vagina, then females were transferred to separate cages without males and stayed there until the appropriate days to isolate the embryos [10].Then, the females were divided in to three groups, (G1) received (2mg/kg/ B.wt AgNPs) (G2) received 20mg/kg/B.wt AgNPs and (G3); treated as a control group and was given D.W only. The…”

Nanoparticles for Brain-Specific Drug and Genetic Material delivery, Imaging and Diagnosis

“…The last few years have seen the publication of very useful reviews on the use of nanoparticles for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in the CNS [3][4][5].…”