Nano-engineering Nanoparticles for Clinical Use in the Central Nervous System: Clinically Applicable Nanoparticles and Their Potential Uses in the Diagnosis and Treatment of CNS Aliments

Nano-engineering materials-based diagnosis and treatment of central nervous systems (CNS) ailments has significantly advanced with our deepened knowledge of the pathophysiology of the blood–brain barrier. Unlike other nanoparticle-based tissue engineering strategies, the use of nanoparticles in the CNS must be specifically engineered to circumvent or penetrate the blood–brain barrier, which selectively inhibits drugs and nanoparticles from infiltrating. Current research in the field of CNS nanoparticles has future applications in the fields of diagnostic imaging, drug delivery, specific drug targeting, and tissue regeneration. This chapter highlights some of the nano-engineering of these promising nanoparticle-based biomaterials and their applications in the diagnosis and treatment of brain and spinal cord disease.