Advances in Solid Lipid Nanoparticles for Alzheimer's Disease Management

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition marked by cognitive decline, loss of memory, and neuronal damage linked to the accumulation of amyloid-β plaques and aggregation of tau proteins. Despite comprehensive research efforts, existing treatment methods only offer relief from symptoms and do not stop the advancement of the disease, mainly due to obstacles in delivering drugs effectively across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Drug delivery systems based on nanotechnology, particularly solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs), have emerged as promising solutions to address these issues. SLNs present benefits such as enhanced drug stability, increased bioavailability, controlled release, and targeted delivery to the brain. This review discusses the pathophysiology of AD, the primary barriers to drug delivery, including BBB limitations, and various techniques for preparing SLNs like high-pressure homogenization and solvent-based methods. Additionally, it explores the mechanisms for targeting the brain, which include intranasal delivery.