Neurological disorders

Neurological disorders are diseases of the central and peripheral nervous systems. These include the brain, spinal cord, cranial nerves, peripheral nerves, nerve roots, autonomic nervous system, neuromuscular junction and muscles.

Some examples of neurological disorders are Alzheimer's disease and other dementias, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, brain cancer, epilepsy as well as neuropathic pain, which results from damage to the peripheral nerves.

The blood-brain barrier is the principal hurdle in developing drugs for neurological disorders. Made of tightly connected cells, the barrier actively keeps foreign matter away from the brain. The vast majority of biologic molecules are not able to cross it to deliver treatments.

To help treat neurological disorders, researchers from the Human Health Therapeutics Research Centre have developed carriers for delivering therapeutics beyond the brain barrier. They can be coupled to a wide range of client molecules to prevent, diagnose and treat central nervous system diseases.