The term nanomedicine refers to a field in which the advances of nanotechnology are applied to health and medical diseases. This rapidly growing field is based on the remarkable advances being made in nanotechnology, a field in which materials (e.g. nanoparticles) and devices that have a size on the nanometer scale are developed.¹ The relative scale of nanometer-size materials is important to understand when discussing nanomedicine. As a useful example, the diameter of a typical nanoparticle in medical use is in the order of 10–100 nanometers (nm), which is very similar to the size of most viruses and much smaller than a cell. As will be clear from the following discussion, the extremely small size of nanoparticles and other materials on the nano-scale allows for types of interactions with living tissue that are impossible with larger materials.

Nanotechnology has a number of applications to the central nervous system (CNS), including new possibilities for the diagnosis of CNS diseases, novel methods of drug delivery, and, perhaps most intriguingly, innovative methods of regenerating CNS tissues. This article will introduce the reader to the various types of nanoparticles, the principles of nanoparticle delivery and targeting, and in vivo and ex vivo uses of nanoscale materials.

Introduction to Types of Nanoscale Devices
An explanation of the types of nanoscale devices is important in order to understand their unique properties, benefits, and limitations. As a result of space limitations, this article will focus solely on nanoparticles rather than many other types of nanomaterials that are described in more detail elsewhere.² Throughout this discussion, the reader should be aware that the effects of nanomaterials on living human tissue is still a matter of active investigation; although many nanomaterials are believed to be safe for use in the human body, much work remains to understand the toxicology of various materials.³

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