Central nervous system toxicity of metallic nanoparticles

Something for our researchers to consider when transporting drugs to the  brain. Our stroke associations should be blasting this out to all stroke researchers. But I bet they won't, in fact I bet they don't even realize the significance of this.
http://www.dovepress.com/articles.php?article_id=22466

Authors Feng XL, Chen AJ, Zhang YL, Wang JF, Shao LQ, Wei LM
Published Date July 2015 Volume 2015:10 Pages 4321—4340
DOI http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/IJN.S78308
Received 28 November 2014, Accepted 29 April 2015, Published 3 July 2015
Approved for publication by Dr Lei Yang

Xiaoli Feng,¹ Aijie Chen,¹ Yanli Zhang,¹ Jianfeng Wang,² Longquan Shao,¹ Limin Wei<sup>2

1</sup>Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China; ²School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, People’s Republic of China

Abstract: Nanomaterials (NMs) are increasingly used for the therapy, diagnosis, and monitoring of disease- or drug-induced mechanisms in the human biological system. In view of their small size, after certain modifications, NMs have the capacity to bypass or cross the blood–brain barrier. Nanotechnology is particularly advantageous in the field of neurology. Examples may include the utilization of nanoparticle (NP)-based drug carriers to readily cross the blood–brain barrier to treat central nervous system (CNS) diseases, nanoscaffolds for axonal regeneration, nanoelectromechanical systems in neurological operations, and NPs in molecular imaging and CNS imaging. However, NPs can also be potentially hazardous to the CNS in terms of nano­neurotoxicity via several possible mechanisms, such as oxidative stress, autophagy, and lysosome dysfunction, and the activation of certain signaling pathways. In this review, we discuss the dual effect of NMs on the CNS and the mechanisms involved. The limitations of the current research are also discussed.