Emerging Engineering Technologies for Opening the BBB

摘要: Current treatments of neurological and neurodegenerative diseases are limited due to the lack a truly noninvasive, transient, regionally selective brain drug delivery method. The is particularly difficult deliver drugs because blood–brain barrier (BBB). impermeability BBB tight junctions between adjacent endothelial cells highly regulatory transport systems cell membranes. main function ion volume regulation ensure conditions necessary for proper synaptic axonal signaling. However, same permeability properties that keep healthy also present tremendous obstacles its pharmacological treatment. Until solution trans-BBB problem found, will remain impeded. Over past decade, methods combine focused ultrasound (FUS) microbubbles have been shown offer unique capability noninvasively, locally, transiently open BBB. Four challenges application FUS (1) assess safety profile, (2) unveil mechanism by which opens closes, (3) control predict opened duration opening, (4) promise delivery. In this chapter, we discuss all these challenges, along with findings in both small (mice) large (nonhuman primates) animals, emphasize clinical potential technique.