Authors: Adam Sirah, Sneed K, Pathak YV.
Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disorder on the rise, expected to become a global public health crisis in the future as prevalence increases. The primary symptoms are memory impairment, declining cognition, mood disturbances and progressive degeneration ultimately leading to fatality. Very little is known about the etiology of Alzheimer’s Disease, however the cause of the disease is neurobiological, characterized by amyloid β plaque accumulation and aggregation, tau protein hyperphosphorylation, subsequent oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Much of the current research is limited by the inability of therapies to cross the blood brain barrier, which discriminates based on surface area and particle size, resulting in limited treatment options.
Treatment limitations have prompted further research into the field of nano-therapies that can cross the blood brain barrier to treat the suspected neurobiological causes of Alzheimer’s Disease. In this paper, research using black phosphorus nanosheets and polymeric nanoparticles including PEG, PAMAM and chitosan are explored and summarized for their abilities to cross the blood brain barrier. Through their use as drug delivery agents, or via their innate molecule characteristics, there is a wealth of research currently undertaken to explore their use for this necessary purpose. Additionally, further focus is shed in this article about future avenues in light of the results of the research conducted.