The blood-brain barrier: Its implications in neurological disease and treatment

The blood-brain barrier is the main structure that protects the brain from internal insult. The blood-brain barrier consists primarily of cerebral capillaries which, under the influence of neighbouring cells, present a restrictive barrier to potentially harmful blood-borne toxins. Although the blood-brain barrier has been discussed in the literature for nearly a century, awareness of its clinical and pharmaceutical importance is only now being realized. As knowledge of this structure improves, clinical interventions that modify the blood-brain barrier will become more common. It is therefore important that practitioners involved in the care of patients with neurological dysfunction have a basic understanding of how this structure works. This paper describes the physiological nature of the blood-brain barrier and provides an insight into the widespread impact it has on central nervous system disease and treatment.