ELUCIDATIONS ON NANOTECHNOLOGY IN ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: A REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative condition characterized by the presence of extracellular fibrillar amyloid plaques, composed of a peptide known as β-amyloid. Over the years, several researchers have dedicated themselves to finding new methods of diagnosis and treatment for AD, but their efforts have not yielded any significant results in relation to the disease. However, with the advancement of technology and its inclusion in the research and health sector, new expectations can be raised through the use of nanotechnology as a way of combating the disease. In this way, this article presents bibliographic information based on the main scientific articles associated with nanotechnology and Alzheimer's, with the aim of bringing knowledge and information to health professionals and the interested community. The aim of this work is to identify the potential for using nanoparticles in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and to identify promising treatments and their possible side effects by conducting a narrative review of the literature based on consultation of repositories such as Science Direct, Web of Science, PubMed and Scielo. As a result, it was observed that nanoparticles are able to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and transport the drugs needed to inhibit the aggregation of Aβ peptides, resolving pre-existing fibrils.  Biodegradable and biocompatible polymers, such as polyethylene glycol polylactide (PLGA), represent a promising and safe approach and have been widely used. The best technologies are those that include nanoparticles, capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to reach therapeutic targets and ensuring that these molecules do not cause harmful, toxic effects on the body. Although nanoparticles are effective in treating some diseases, little is known about their side effects; these drugs may or may not be more harmful to the body than the disease they are intended to treat. It is concluded that there are many promising treatments, but they have not yet been approved due to the difficulty of maintaining adequate concentrations of the drug in the intraneural space. Determining the toxic dose is necessary to approve the use of nanoparticles in treatment, but it is almost impossible, as their cytotoxic effects in extraneural regions are unpredictable, and more studies are needed on nanomaterials for Alzheimer's treatment.