Lei Gao,1,* Jia Wang,2,* Yanhua Bi2 

1Medical Imaging Department, Huabei Petroleum Administration Bureau General Hospital, Renqiu, Hebei, People’s Republic of China; 2Neurosurgery Department, Huabei Petroleum Administration Bureau General Hospital, Renqiu, Hebei, People’s Republic of China

*These authors contributed equally to this work

Correspondence: Yanhua Bi, Neurosurgery Department, Huabei Petroleum Administration Bureau General Hospital, Hui Zhan Road, Renqiu City, Hebei Province, 062550, People’s Republic of China, Email zyy_byh@163.com

Abstract: Neurodegenerative diseases—including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis—are characterized by progressive neuronal loss and complex pathological mechanisms such as protein aggregation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation. Conventional therapies offer limited efficacy due to the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and lack of targeted delivery. Nanotechnology has emerged as a transformative strategy for precise brain-targeted treatment. This review summarizes recent advances in nanoparticle-based drug delivery systems, including polymeric nanoparticles, liposomes, inorganic nanomaterials, and biomimetic carriers, highlighting their design features, BBB-penetration mechanisms, and disease-specific applications. Emphasis is placed on stimuli-responsive nanocarriers that react to pH, reactive oxygen species, or enzyme activity, enabling site-specific drug release. Additionally, organelle-targeting strategies—particularly those directed at mitochondria and lysosomes—are explored for their role in subcellular precision therapy. The integration of diagnostic and therapeutic modalities in theranostic nanoplatforms is also discussed. By consolidating preclinical progress and emerging technologies, this review offers insights into the future of nanomedicine in treating neurodegenerative diseases and lays the groundwork for clinical translation.

Keywords: blood–brain barrier penetration, stimuli-responsive nanocarriers, gene therapy, theranostic nanoplatforms