Stroke, dementia, and drug delivery.

Stroke and dementia represent a major health burden for elderly subjects as they are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The rates of stroke and dementia are progressively increasing due to the ageing population in most westernized countries. Therefore, both these conditions represent a major therapeutic target. However, the therapeutic options available for the management of stroke and dementia remain largely unsatisfactory, the main reason being the difficulty in transferring the results obtained in animal and in vitro studies to the clinical setting. This review focuses on the recent advances in pathophysiology and treatment of these conditions and future directions for research. Moreover, the technique of functional magnetic resonance imaging is discussed in detail as a tool to assess the effects of therapeutic agents on the central nervous system and monitor the progression of diseases. Finally, an overview of the issue of drug delivery into the central nervous system is presented.