Lipid nanocarrier-based drug delivery for the treatment of brain-related disorders

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are characterized by a dysfunction of the blood–brain barrier (BBB). There are several reasons such as genetic mutations and damage that can make the central nervous system (CNS) susceptible to neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, multiple sclerosis, or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Neurodegenerative diseases are accompanied by a structural and functional dysfunction of the BBB due to the loss of neurons and the formation of misfolded proteins. Among the different nanocarrier systems developed, lipid-based nanosystems such as liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs), microemulsions, and nanoemulsions have proven to be effective in managing neurodegenerative disorders. They have potential for enhancing BBB transport and allowing the administration of medicines to the brain that could help in the treatment of neurological disorders. This chapter provides an overview with different strategies to deliver therapeutic molecules or drugs safely and efficiently through lipid nanocarriers with or without surface modifications. The chapter also deals with the molecules or targeting ligands that can be used to make them targetable and improve drug bioavailability by enhancing BBB permeability. The application of different lipid-based carriers to deliver drugs for the effective management of different neurodegenerative diseases has been explored in this chapter.