Central Nervous System (CNS) Therapeutics

Central nervous system (CNS) infections are potentially life threatening if not diagnosed and treated early. The initial clinical presentations of many CNS infections are non-specific, making a definitive etiologic diagnosis challenging. Nucleic acid in vitro amplification-based molecular methods are increasingly being applied for routine microbial detection. These methods are a vast improvement over conventional techniques with the advantage of rapid turnaround and higher sensitivity and specificity. Additionally, molecular methods performed on cerebrospinal fluid samples are considered the new gold standard for diagnosis of CNS infection caused by pathogens, which are otherwise difficult to detect.

Commercial diagnostic platforms offer various monoplex and multiplex PCR assays for convenient testing of targets that cause similar clinical illness. Pan-omic molecular platforms possess potential for use in this area. Although molecular methods are predicted to be widely used in diagnosing and monitoring CNS infections, results generated by these methods need to be carefully interpreted in combination with clinical findings. This review summarizes the currently available armamentarium of molecular assays for diagnosis of central nervous system infections, their application, and future approaches.

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The central nervous system (CNS) has unique anatomic and immunologic characteristics that play an important role in the pathogenesis and detection of infection. CNS is protected by the blood–brain barrier (BBB) but is still highly vulnerable to microbial invasion by extension from a contiguous focus; hematogenous dissemination; or less commonly, intraneural passage of organisms.

CNS infections are classified according to their anatomic localization Infection of the meninges, brain, and spinal cord results in meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscess, and myelitis, respectively. Infection may be limited to a single anatomic compartment or may involve multiple sites (e.g., meningoencephalitis and encephalomyelitis). Based on the duration, infection can be classified as acute, sub-acute, chronic, or recurrent.

Myelitis is characterized by the inflammation of the spinal cord with symptoms including fever, headache, and paraparesis or paralysis. Based on the duration, infection can be classified as acute, sub-acute, chronic, or recurrent.

The World Health Organization and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons conduct various seminars to increase awareness about psychological disorders and their treatments. In addition, these organizations have helped to create groups in which patients can interact with each other as well as with the professionals and can have a holistic approach toward healing, which drives the market growth. Furthermore, advancements in technologies to develop superior drug delivery system and rise in R&D activities for introduction of novel drugs are anticipated to propel the market for CNS therapeutics.

References:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11908-016-0545-6 

https://www.theinsightpartners.com/reports/central-nervous-system-cns-therapeutic-market