Year

2015

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Department

Intelligent Polymer Research Institute

Abstract

Epilepsy is characterized by abnormal electrical activity within the brain, which can result in either generalized or partial seizures. In order to control seizure activity a person must take anti-epilepsy medication, normally in the form of a tablet. The goal is to deliver the drug to the brain in quantities sufficient to eliminate seizures without causing adverse effects. In 30% of the cases, sufferers of epilepsy are unable to be medicated due to the dose required to suppress seizures causing adverse side effects. In addition, other anti-epilepsy treatment such as brain surgery or vagus nerve stimulator (VNS) implantation are very expensive treatments and needs high technology and advanced equipment. Therefore there is a need to develop a delivery system for these epilepsy sufferers that is therapeutic but not toxic and also accessible and affordable for every patient all over the world.

Recently there has been much interest in the use of polymeric carriers as localized delivery devices especially for the central nervous system. Bypassing the blood-brain barrier, a polymeric carrier implanted directly into the brain tissue allows the possibility of therapeutic levels of drug being confined to the region of interest, thus eliminating systemic toxicity compared to oral drug administration. Among polymers conducting polymers (CPs) have been shown to act as very effective drug reservoir with the ability to deliver drugs upon electrical stimulation. Polymeric carriers also offer potential advantages, such as partially protecting labile drugs from degradation and releasing multi-drug combinations in a controlled manner from the same implant.

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Unless otherwise indicated, the views expressed in this thesis are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the University of Wollongong.