title: Ultrasound-mediated strategies in opening brain barriers for drug brain delivery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Though many agents have therapeutic potentials for brain diseases, few have been used in clinical environments because of the brain barriers. As an effective interventional technique, ultrasound (US) could be a potentially feasible approach to disrupt the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and deliver therapeutic agents into the brain.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article reviews up-to-date ultrasound-mediated strategies in opening the brain barriers for drug brain delivery. The mechanisms and problems of these approaches are discussed, as well as the challenges and potentials associated with the ultrasound-mediated strategies that are currently available or under development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite recent successes in opening the blood brain barrier (BBB) via microbubble-enhanced focused ultrasound, the exact mechanisms of how the barrier is disrupted, remains unknown. A complete understanding of the mechanisms involved in the ultrasound-mediated disruption of the BBB and improving the efficiency of drug delivery to targeted brain regions can greatly facilitate the successful development and translation of the technology.
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province 325035, China.
authors.forename: Ying-Zheng
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Cui-Tao
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xiao-Kun
authors.initials: XK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport; D001812:Blood-Brain Barrier / Q000187:drug effects*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D045423:Microbubbles; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations