Silver Nanoparticles: Neurotoxic and Neurodegenerative Effects
With advances in the development of nanotechnology and increases in the production and practical application of artificial nanoparticles (NPs) and nanomaterials (NMs), health effects of these products are increasingly of interest. Among the most prominent NMs, one variant that has garnered significant attention is silver nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) are small metallic colloidal particles that are widely used in the engineering, manufacturing, and biomedicine sectors. Today there are many consumer products that contain various silver nanoparticles, particularly for their anti-microbial properties, yet its impact on health has not adequately been evaluated. Early studies show silver nanoparticles contribute to neurotoxic and neurodegenerative effects in vivo. This paper evaluates not only the benefits of silver nanoparticles but the adverse consequences that humans and other organisms may face during extended interaction with silver nanomaterials. Given the particles cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), specific attention has been placed on the neurological effects of silver nanoparticles. Given the urgency for more information and scientific evaluation on the increasing use of silver nanoparticles, there is still a need for more efficient experimentation methods in the testing of silver nanoparticle toxicity and brain and behavioral effects.