NANOTECHNOLOGY IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF PARKINSON’S DISEASE

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most frequent neurodegenerative condition, with dopaminergic loss in substantia nigra. It induces typical motor symptoms—bradykinesia, rigidity, tremor—and ample non-motor side effects like cognitive impairment and sleep disturbances. Levodopa and dopamine agonists are outdated therapy for which symptomatic treatment only results, and they have long-term adverse effects like dyskinesia and fluctuating efficacy. The major obstacle to the development of more potent therapies is the blood-brain barrier (BBB) that dissuades drug penetration into target sites in the brain. Nanotechnology presents a paradigm-shifting therapy for PD in the form of drug delivery in an efficient and target-specific format through the BBB.Polymeric, lipid nanoparticle, and exosomes, dendrimers, and micelles are constructed with the aim of facilitating drug stability, bioavailability,and site-specific targeting. Ligand modification of surface ligands with transferrin or lactoferrin improves their delivery across the BBB and retention at brain damage sites. They can be encapsulated in a range of agents from dopamine to neuroprotective proteins, antioxidants, and gene therapies. Nanotechnology platforms also support non-invasive routes such as intranasal or transdermal with sustained release and higher patient compliance. In addition to the therapy, nanomaterials are being used to an increasing extent for diagnosing PD at an early stage of its course with quantum dot-based systems and biosensors that can precisely measure biomarkers at ultra-low concentrations. Nanotechnology in general provides novel platforms for personalized, targeted, and minimally invasive treatment of Parkinson's disease. More clinical data and studies should be conducted to advance these promising technologies to the stage of patient treatment safely and effectively.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease (PD); nanotechnology; nanoparticles; drug delivery; early diagnosis; quantum dots; metallic nanoparticles; biosensors; ?-synuclein; dopamine detection; theranostics; L-DOPA nanoformulation; gene therapy; nanocarriers; neurodegenerative disorders.