Nanocarriers-based noninvasive approaches for dementia

Dementia is an illness that not only affects the patients but also forces the caregivers and the near ones to undergo an enormous amount of mental stress and emotional exhaustion. The patient slowly loses his cognitive ability resulting in the impairment of the person’s potential to work independently. Till now, there is no official treatment to cure dementia completely hence the scientists have found an alternative treatment to give symptomatic relief from the disease. Drug-based treatments are there which show some promise. Phytoconstituents are also being explored (Ginkgo biloba) for potential treatment methods. The promise of these drugs remains limited as in most of the cases they cannot pass through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and hence their potential cannot get converted to good therapeutic results. Conventional noninvasive techniques like scanning ultrasound, light exposure, electromagnetic stimulation, brain stimulation, magnetic stimulation, stimulation generated using an electric field gives temporary relief from the symptoms. Behavioural therapies are also suggested by some scientists to retain cognitive performance. In spite of all the efforts the solution to demetia is yet to be found. Current researches have gone to the molecular level to address the disease. Nanocarriers are now becoming a choice for the scientists given their small size that enables the swift passage through the BBB. This chapter will cover the various invasive and noninvasive approaches used conventionally and also the approaches which are under developmental stages, the rationale involved behind these approaches, their benefits, and their future prospects. The progress in the field of eradicating dementia is giving us new hopes and that day is not far away when we will have the cure for dementia bringing happiness to millions of patients and their families/caregivers.