Nose-to-brain administration of cannabidiol-loaded polymeric micelles improves the core behavioral symptoms of autism spectrum disorder

Abstract Neurodevelopmental disorders including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affect 5.9% of the global population. Research shows the potential therapeutic use of cannabidiol (CBD) to treat different neurodevelopmental disorders, including ASD. Intranasal drug delivery (i.n.) is a non-invasive and painless administration route that enhances drug bioavailability in the brain bypassing the blood-brain barrier. Various polymeric nanoparticles have been investigated for i.n. delivery with different success levels. In this study, we developed and characterized polymeric micelles of the poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(propylene oxide) block