title: Nanoparticles: A Challenging Vehicle for Neural Stimulation.
abstract: Neurostimulation represents a powerful and well-established tool for the treatment of several diseases affecting the central nervous system. Although, effective in reducing the symptoms or the progression of brain disorders, the poor accessibility of the deepest areas of the brain currently hampers the possibility of a more specific and controlled therapeutic stimulation, depending on invasive surgical approaches and long-term stability, and biocompatibility issues. The massive research of the last decades on nanomaterials and nanoscale devices favored the development of new tools to address the limitations of the available neurostimulation approaches. This mini-review focuses on the employment of nanoparticles for the modulation of the electrophysiological activity of neuronal networks and the related transduction mechanisms underlying the nanostructure-neuron interfaces.
authors.affiliation: Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Elisabetta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Feyen
authors.affiliation: Center for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Rosa
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Antognazza
authors.affiliation: Center for Nano Science and Technology, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaMilan, Italy; Department of Physics, Politecnico di MilanoMilan, Italy.
authors.forename: Guglielmo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lanzani
authors.affiliation: Center for Synaptic Neuroscience and Technology, Istituto Italiano di TecnologiaGenova, Italy; Department of Experimental Medicine, Università di GenovaGenova, Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Benfenati
keywords: nanobeads; nanoparticle; neural activity modulation; neural prosthetics; neurostimulation