With neurological diseases predicted to rise exponentially across the globe, whether resulting from the extension of life expectancy or aging populations, more novel solutions are necessary so that health care can stay ahead of the game.
Neurological diseases, disorders and injuries – such as Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, brain tumours, and Parkinson’s disease – are some of the leading causes of disability amongst the Canadian population that take a toll not only on the patient and the Canadian health care system, but also have a significant economic impact.
To date, these neurological diseases and disorders have been largely incurable and tend to worsen over time, typically involving invasive procedures by scientists and researchers as they attempt to penetrate the blood-brain barrier. Remarkable as the blood-brain barrier is to neuroscience, it is extremely fickle and highly selective, restricting the paracellular diffusion of water-soluble substances from the blood to the brain. Despite it being nature’s evolutionary way of protecting humans’ greatest asset, it does not come without its faults. Its defensive properties impede the way for medicinal compounds to penetrate the barrier and deliver the potential life-saving properties to their destination point.
Statistics have shown that 1 in 6 will acquire a neurological disease, totalling about 1.25 billion people worldwide. It is for this reason Canadian company Bioasis Technologies Inc. is determined to deliver effective treatments to patients who suffer from one of these diseases.
