| REVIEW ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2015 | Volume
: 2
| Issue : 3 | Page : 78-84 |
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Nanotechnology in spinal cord injury: A new hope for overcoming barriers to treatment
Vinu V Gopal1, K Mahadevan2
1 Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, Government Medical College, Kottayam, Kerala, India
2 Professor and Head, Department of Neurosurgery, Government Medical College, Kottayam, Kerala, India
Correspondence Address:
Vinu V Gopal
Assistant Professor, Department of Neurosurgery, Government Medical College, Kottayam, Kerala
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None
DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10039-1061
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Incidence of spinal cord injury (SCI) is on the rise affecting the young strata of the society leading to permanent disability in majority of cases with limited treatment to offer. Treatment of sci has many challenges due to the complex blood spinal cord barrier (BSCB). Nanotechnology presents a substantial solution in neuroprotective treatment by enabling targeted delivery of drugs to the site of injury by overcoming BSCB. Nanofiber scaffolds which are built of biodegradable nanofibers forms structural support for injured spinal cord, guiding and supporting cell growth thereby favoring neural regeneration. Common concerns with nanotechnology include the health hazards due to the difficult degradation and immunomodulation. The lack of proper clinical trials and the lack of centralized monitoring agency are the serious ethical concerns regarding nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is still a developing field and it is unclear exactly what effects it will have on the body or the environment. This fact leads to the greater regulation imposed on nanotechnology, making the process of drug development even more expensive and time consuming. Application of nanotechnology in stem cell research and nanorobotics are promising future research that can revolutionize the treatment strategies in SCI.
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