Scientists May Have Overcome a Major Barrier to Brain Treatment

One major hurdle in treating  for Alzheimer’s and other brain-related diseases is bypassing the brain’s strong protective barriers. However, a new study offers a promising solution to this challenge.

Nanoparticles Bypass Blood-Brain Barrier to Target Immune Cells

The brain’s primary defense system, blood-brain barrier (BBB), acts as a biological gatekeeper—allowing in only essential molecules and chemicals while blocking out potentially harmful or unfamiliar substances. Unfortunately, the brain often treats medical treatments as threats.

In a new study led by researchers at Oregon State University (OSU), scientists developed tiny nanoparticles—just a fraction of a millimeter wide—that successfully crossed the BBB and delivered their payload to immune cells in a targeted region of the brain.

“Our research marks a major breakthrough,” says Oleh Taratula, a pharmaceutics professor at OSU.

What makes the nanoparticles particularly innovative is their cargo—specially selected peptides (short chains of amino acids) engineered to open the BBB and target specific immune cells in the brain called microglia.

Overactive microglia are believed to contribute significantly to the damage seen in many neurological disorders, which is why the researchers focused on these cells. Being able to both cross the BBB and deliver drugs directly to microglia marks a major achievement.

Nanoparticle Treatment Shows Promise in Combating Cancer-Related Cachexia

In mouse trials, the researchers demonstrated that their method effectively treated cachexia—a muscle-wasting condition linked to various cancer and other illnesses.

In cancer-related cachexia, patients lose weight regardless of diet or nutrition, and the condition can be fatal for up to 30 percent of those affected. The hypothalamus—a brain region rich in microglia—appears to be a key player.

“Hypothalamic inflammation disrupts appetite and metabolism in these patients,” explains Taratula. “As cachexia advances, it severely affects quality of life, limits treatment options, and lowers survival rates.”

Nanoparticle Therapy Reduces Muscle Loss, Shows Potential for Neurological Diseases

In the study, mice treated with the nanoparticle-based therapy showed a marked improvement, experiencing 50 percent less muscle loss from cachexia compared to untreated controls.

Although this study didn’t directly focus on diseases like Alzheimer’s, the same approach could be effective for a range of neurological conditions involving an overactive immune response, including various forms of dementia.

While the exact causes and progression of Alzheimer’s remain unclear, researchers suspect that immune cells such as microglia may not be adequately protecting the brain—and could even contribute to the development of the disease.

“The nanoplatform’s capacity to transport treatments across the BBB and directly target microglia creates new opportunities for addressing neurological disorders linked to brain inflammation, such as Alzheimer’s and multiple sclerosis,” says Taratula.

Read the original article on: Sciencealert

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