Application of Novel Drug-Delivery Strategies in Neurological Disorders

Neurological disorders are the leading cause of global health loss and disability. However, the success rate of drug development in the nervous system is very low, mainly because of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). In addition, gastrointestinal irritation, low stability, rapid metabolism, imprecise targeting, and organ toxicity of drugs are also important constraints in the development and application of neurological drugs. Emerging technologies, such as nano-delivery technology, offer a number of strategies to address these challenges drugs face entering the central nervous system. This review systematically introduces the various challenges of existing drug development in neurological disorders and summarizes BBB regulation strategies, drug delivery strategies, and modes of administration. It's summarized that the challenges of BBB can be addressed with the help of strategies including physical stimulation and modification of nanocarriers, and drug delivery in the nervous system can be achieved with the help of passive and active nanocarriers and self-assembly. Moreover, drug delivery strategies in major neurological disorders are discussed in detail. Finally, the limitations of some drug delivery strategies are summarized and the future development direction is prospected, which can provide new ideas and technologies for the optimization of drug delivery for neurological disorders.