1 Department of Pharmaceutics, Pulla Reddy Institute of Pharmacy, Hyderabad - 502313, Telangana, India.
2 Department of Pharmacy Practice, Pulla Reddy Institute of Pharmacy, Hyderabad - 502313, Telangana, India.
3 Department of Pharmacy Practice, Vijaya Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences for Women, Enikepadu, Vijayawada Rural, Vijayawada - 521108, Andhra Pradesh.
4 University of New Haven, 300 Boston Post Rd, West Haven, Connecticut 06516, USA.
5 Department of Social Sciences, Fergana Medical Institute of Public Health, Yangi Turon 2A, Fergana - 150100, Uzbekistan.
6 Department of Microbiology, Virology and Immunology, Samarkand State Medical University, 140104 Amir Temur 18A, Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
7 International European University, Malta Campus, Malta, Europe.
8* Associate Professor & HOD, Department of Pharmacy Practice, Pulla Reddy Institute of Pharmacy, Hyderabad - 502313, Telangana, India. (Corresponding Author) Email: latha.dhulipalla9@gmail.com
Received: 20th Feb, 2026 | Revised: 4th Mar, 2026 | Accepted: 25th Mar, 2026 | Available Online: 10th Apr, 2026
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder marked by cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, and behavioral changes. Importantly, one of the most significant obstacles in AD treatment is the limited blood–brain permeability of therapeutic entities and consequently resulting ineffective drug transport to the central nervous system (CNS). The development of nanotechnology-based delivery systems has opened new avenues for effective brain-targeting of therapeutic agents. Of these, intranasal nanoparticle delivery systems provide both a less-invasive drug administration that can promote the targeting of drugs towards CNS through trigeminal or olfactory neural pathway without passing BBB. The current study describes the design and evaluation of a nanoparticle delivery system for intranasal administration that can enhance cognitive function in Alzheimer's disease. Biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles encapsulated neuroprotective therapeutic agents. The formulation was characterized regarding particle size, zeta potential, drug loading efficiency and stability. Drug release profile and nasal mucosal permeability were studied through in vitro release studies and ex vivo permeation analyses respectively. The findings showed that the developed nanocarriers exhibited improved targeting to the brain, sustained release of drugs, enhanced neuronal protection and remarkable improvements in cognitive performance versus traditional routes of administration. These results suggest that intranasal nanoparticle delivery systems represent a promising therapeutic avenue in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease by improving drug bioavailability and brain distribution. This strategy needs to be translated into therapies for patients with neurodegenerative diseases, which will require additional clinical exploration.
Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Intranasal drug delivery; Nanoparticles; Brain targeting; Cognitive enhancement; Blood–brain barrier; Neurodegeneration; Nanomedicine.
How to cite this article: Varun D, Jallu R, Subahan SF, Rachana D, Usmonovich US, Ismatillovich MY, Nandikola JR, Latha DN. Intranasal Nanoparticle Delivery System for Improved Cognitive Function in Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Drug Deliv Technol. 2026;16(11s):40-50. DOI: 10.25258/ijddt.16.11s.5
Source of support: Nil.
Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.