Scientists breach BBB to non invasively deliver cancer fighting drugs to patient’s brain
Q. Scientists have successfully breached which barrier to effectively deliver cancer fighting drugs into the patient’s brain?- Published on 16 Nov 15a. Blood brain barrier
b. Brain extracellular barrier
c. Blood cell barrier
d. None of the above
ANSWER: Blood brain barrier
Scientists have successfully breached the blood brain barrier in a non invasive manner to deliver cancer fighting drugs into the patient’s brain. Every person has a protective blood barrier lining blood vessels in the brain to restrict the passage of massive toxic substances from the bloodstream to the brain. Scientists can open the barrier in the patient’s brain to deliver chemotherapy directly to the brain tumour. MRI-guided focused low-intensity ultrasound waves were used to target blood vessels in the blood-brain barrierBBB) area near the tumour. Waves repeatedly compress and expand the micro-bubbles, loosening tight junctions of the cells comprising the BBB. Following the breach of the barrier, the chemotherapy flowed through and deposited into the targeted regions.
