The Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Neuropsychiatric Disorders

There are effective treatments available for neuropsychiatric disorders; however, numerous factors such as misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, varying types of onsets and progression of disorder, as well as long timeframes between diagnosis and treatment, all serve to limit the ability of these treatments to reduce symptoms. This article discusses the unique theragnostic aspects of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in relation to these clinical considerations.

An extensive review of the literature was conducted to examine recent findings about EVs and their potential role in early diagnosis and targeted treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders, to examine the biological aspects, diagnostic and therapeutic capacity.

Pathological states radically change the composition of EVs and their cargo delivery, thereby providing a dynamic disease state. EVs can cross biological barriers, have systemic distribution, provide low immunogenicity and toxicity, and all serve to represent the beginnings of identifying early biomarkers and future methods for delivering therapy needed to administer neuroactive drugs/delivery methods.

In summary, EVs have potential as a theragnostic platform for neuropsychiatric diseases. Because they offer passive, non-invasive, and actionable diagnostic insights, EVs can be applied to therapeutically manage neuropsychiatric disorders, which could provide a solution to issues faced in clinical practice, such as late-stage diagnosis and poor treatment compliance. To fully understand the prospect of EVs in neuropsychiatric practice, more translational research and clinical validation are required.