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Polymeric nanoparticles as drug delivery systems for dementia

Abstract:

Dementia affects around 50 million people worldwide and it is one of the main causes of disability and dependency. The incidence of dementia is projected to increase rapidly over the next several decades. However, despite these increased number of people suffering from this syndrome, available pharmacological treatments are highly limited. Nanotechnological approaches could constitute the key to deliver drugs effectively to the target site in a prolonged manner and avoiding undesired adverse effects. Polymeric nanoparticles are one of the most promising drug delivery systems, being able to encapsulate a wide variety of compounds. Several studies had been made using nanoparticles, especially for Alzheimer’s disease. This chapter analyses the different types of dementia and provides a critical and global vision of the main polymers used to develop polymeric nanoparticles and their specific applications for dementia. An overview about functionalization strategies employed for the treatment of dementia is also carried out.