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A Benchtop Approach to the Location Specific Blood Brain Barrier Opening using Focused Ultrasound in a Rat Model
Published on: June 13, 2020
Current Progress in Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound to Facilitate Drug Delivery across the Blood-Brain
Ying Meng1,2,3, Lorraine V Kalia4,5, Suneil K Kalia1,4,6,7
1Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M4N 3M5, Canada.
Abstract:
This review discusses the current progress in the clinical use of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) and other ultrasound platforms to transiently permeabilize the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for drug delivery in neurological disorders and neuro-oncology. Safety trials in humans have followed on from extensive pre-clinical studies, demonstrating a reassuring safety profile and paving the way for numerous translational clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and primary and metastatic brain tumors. Future directions include improving ultrasound delivery devices, exploring alternative delivery approaches such as nanodroplets, and expanding the application to other neurological conditions.
