Authors: Sirgio Mejias, Sneed KB, Yashwant Pathak.
Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is an ever-increasing epidemic across the entire world. Alzheimer’s Disease is known for the deterioration of the mental abilities of the individual and can also lead to the development of other neurodegenerative diseases. Alzheimer’s Disease is a growing epidemic across the world as the population continues to grow and as individuals live longer. The growing neurodegenerative disease epidemic mostly occurs and is more common in older populations. Meaning that potential development of the disease increase with age, but also increased development of the disease if it has already started in an individual. There are many discovered factors that lead to the development of Alzheimer’s Disease, all being the accumulation of unwanted molecules in the brain. These molecules are free radicals and amyloid beta peptides. The onset of the disease is characterized by these molecules, among others, and the increasing development of the disease occurs from further accumulation. Limiting the accumulation of these markers would be the key to begin treating those with Alzheimer’s Disease.
The difficulty in treating these individuals lies in two main areas, effective drug delivery and effective diagnosing practices. Both of these areas can be addressed through the use of nanotechnology. Nanotechnology or in this application, nanomedicine is the use of nanoscale products to maximize treatment while limiting side effects and adverse effects that are seen in traditional and conventional medicinal practices. Nanoparticles have the ability to be highly customizable through the creation of nanocomposites and nano-polymers, while also being stable, relatively low toxicity, high biocompatibility and availability. The main applications of nanomaterials in the treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease is to permeate the blood brain barrier. The blood brain barrier is the highly selective protective layer outside of the brain that serves as the main protector for the brain. The blood brain barrier functions to allow certain nutrients or other needed molecules to enter the brain, while keeping all other molecules out. This barrier makes treating brain diseases difficult since traditional or conventional treatment options to not have the ability to permeate the blood brain barrier without causing further damage to the brain. Nanoparticles and nanomaterials provide a way to permeate the blood brain barrier without causing or introducing the possibility of further harm to the brain, while effectively delivering the needed drugs to treat Alzheimer’s Disease directly. Nanomaterials would also be effective is diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease earlier than traditional medicine has been able to. As stated previously, nanomaterials provide a potential way to permeate the blood brain barrier to the brain to detect the amount of any accumulation of the markers for Alzheimer’s Disease.
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