• Nano-Enabled Drug Delivery Approaches for Improved Neuropsychiatric Treatment
  • Sara Salatin,1,*
    1. Neurosciences Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran


  • Introduction: Psychiatric disorders including depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety are major causes of disability worldwide. These disorders substantially affect the quality of life of millions and impose a significant burden on healthcare systems globally. Despite the rapid development and availability of various psychiatric, effective treatment remains challenging due to the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which restricts drug access to brain tissues. Nanoparticles offer a promising solution by improving drug delivery across the BBB. These tiny carriers can protect drugs, enhance their brain targeting, and provide controlled release, increasing treatment efficacy while reducing side effects.
  • Methods: Various types of nanoparticles have been explored for drug delivery to the brain, including polymeric nanoparticles, solid lipid nanoparticles, nanostructured lipid carriers, liposomes, dendrimers, and nanoemulsions. Each of these nanocarriers offers unique properties that can be tailored depending on the type of drug to be delivered, its physicochemical properties, and the desired release profile.
  • Results: Studies show that nano-assisted drug delivery improves brain drug levels and therapeutic outcomes compared to conventional methods. Recent research has demonstrated successful preclinical applications of nano-assisted drug delivery systems for psychiatric drugs such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, and anxiolytics.
  • Conclusion: Overall, nano-assisted systems hold great potential to improve psychiatric disorder treatments by enhancing drug delivery and minimizing adverse effects. Nevertheless, challenges such as ensuring their long-term safety, scaling up production, meeting regulatory requirements, and demonstrating economic viability must be thoroughly addressed before these technologies can be widely implemented in clinical practice.
  • Keywords: Drug delivery, nanoparticle, blood-brain barrier, psychiatric disorders, depression, schizophrenia