The Blood-Brain Barrier Protects the Brain from Harmful Substances in the Blood

The blood-brain barrier protects the brain from harmful substances in the blood, but it also protects the brain from potentially therapeutic chemicals that may reduce the size of brain tumors by killing cancer cells, alleviate depression, and aid in patient recovery from stroke or spinal cord injury.Two methods are currently being rigorously researched to get these helpful chemicals past the blood-brain barrier.The two methods are termed "molecular Trojan Horse" and osmotic "blood-brain barrier disruption." Based on their names, hypothesize how these methods might allow chemicals to pass through the blood-brain barrier.