Applications and Recent Advances of Nanotechnology and Nanomedicine in the Diagnosis and Therapy of Stroke

Stroke stands as a leading global cause of mortality and long-term disability, imposing significant socioeconomic burdens that underscore the urgent need for effective treatment. It arises from disruptions in the coagulation-fibrinolysis cycle and metabolic processes, resulting in brain cell impairment and injury due to obstructed blood flow within the brain. Stroke is categorized into hemorrhagic, caused by blood vessel rupture, accounting for up to 15% of cases with high mortality, and ischemic, constituting approximately 85% of cases. Ischemic stroke leads to bioenergetic failure due to impaired glucose and oxygen transport, triggering oxidative stress, inflammation, blood-brain barrier dysfunction, and cell death. Effective treatment of ischemic stroke is crucial, given factors such as the therapeutic window, degree of damage, and challenges posed by the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Traditional stroke medications, like fibrinolytic agents, facilitate reperfusion but face limitations such as short plasma half-lives, BBB restrictions, and lack of targeted delivery to ischemic regions. In response, diverse nanomedicine approaches have emerged, including vesicular systems, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, exosomes, inorganic nanoparticles, and biomimetic nanoparticles. Nanotechnology aims to surmount these obstacles hindering optimal stroke therapy. The selection of nanomaterials for stroke diagnosis and therapy hinges on factors like target site specificity, release kinetics, and required duration of action. Nanotechnology not only enhances drug delivery for stroke therapy but also advances diagnostic capabilities, making nanoparticles versatile tools for addressing all phases of ischemic stroke.