Focused Ultrasound Blood-Brain Barrier Opening for Targeted Therapeutics in Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Focused Ultrasound Blood-Brain Barrier Opening for Targeted Therapeutics in Neurodegenerative Diseases.
Where did the research take place?
The study site has not been established. Author addresses may differ from where the research occurred.
Toronto, CA · Author affiliation
Division of Neurosurgery, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Harquail Centre for Neuromodulation, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Location evidence
A plain-language reading has not been prepared for this paper yet.
Original abstract
Therapeutic focused ultrasound (FUS) leverages noninvasive ultrasonic waves to modify biological tissues. When administered alongside intravenous microbubbles, low-intensity FUS enables transient, targeted disruption of the blood-brain barrier (BBB), thereby permitting the passage of systemically administered therapeutics into the central nervous system (CNS) with high spatial precision. The ability to selectively modulate BBB permeability at the disease site has the potential to substantially expand the number of therapeutics that can be utilized in treating illnesses that afflict the CNS. Herein, we review the current applications of FUS for treating neurodegenerative disorders and diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. We discuss the research developments to date and future directions.