Brain Drug Delivery Systems for the Stroke Intervention and Recovery

Background: Stroke remains the second commonest cause of death and leading cause of adult disability worldwide. Ischemic events account for nearly 85% of all strokes, and hemorrhages account for nearly 15%. Stroke intervention and recovery have been identified as the important factors in the functional outcome of patients with completed stroke. However, the only FDA approved treatment for ischemic strokes is tissue plasminogen activator, and no effective targeted therapy for hemorrhagic stroke exists yet. Methods: The goal of this work is to review the brain drug delivery systems (BDDS) used for stroke intervention and recovery. Results: Many novel BDDS have been developed for the use of stroke intervention and recovery, including nanoparticles, hydrogels, fibers, liposomes, and so on, which could improve the permeability of blood-brainbarrier (BBB), short half-life, stability in vivo, and reduce adverse effects of drugs. Conclusion: Combined with new drug targets in the treatment of stroke, BDDS will provide more effective therapeutics for stroke intervention and recovery.