Alzheimer's disease: pathophysiology and applications of magnetic nanoparticles as MRI theranostic agents

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia. During the recent decade, nanotechnology has been widely considered, as a promising tool, for theranosis (diagnosis and therapy) of AD. Here we first discuss pathophysiology and characteristics of AD with a focus on the amyloid cascade hypothesis. Then magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) and recent works on their applications in AD, focusing on the superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs), are reviewed. Furthermore, the amyloid-nanoparticle interaction is highlighted, with the scope to be highly considered by the scientists aiming for diagnostics and/or treatment of AD employing nanoparticles. Furthermore, recent findings on the "ignored" parameters (e.g., effect of protein "corona" at the surface of nanoparticles on amyloid-β (Aβ) fibrillation process) are discussed.