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Is the brain protected from the impact of nanomaterial exposure?: Beside natural and entropic nanoparticules (NPs), the engineered nanoparticules are now more and more present in many different industrial and medical applications. Notably, despite this fast development of the nanotechnologies, little is known about a possible impact on health and environment. Above all, the impact on human body and especially on the brain is not known. Among the possible ways of exposure to NPs, inhalation and ingestion are those probably the most effective to reach the brain. Until recently the scientific literature on the subject was very poor, but looking back to the last 10 years scientific productions, it is now possible to identify critical elements that should help to evaluate how well the brain is spared from a potential NP impact. First we recall some properties that characterize the nervous system as compared to other peripheral organs. Then we review the possible ways of exposure that lead to efficient direct and indirect translocation to the brain, we describe some significant data that allow to show which cells and in which sub-cellular compartment NPs are detected. We propose to review the NPs parameters that could favor translocation to the brain. Then with several examples we report the different types of neurotoxicity that have been described until now. Finally we raise several questions that need to be seriously evaluated through new experiments in order to complete our knowledge on the precise impact of NPs on brain function.

Le cerveau est-il à l’abri d’un impact d’une exposition à des nanomatériaux ?