FIGURE 1.

Schematic illustration depicting the application of exosomes for central nervous system (CNS) delivery of therapeutic cargo to combat the neurobiological underpinnings of age-related cognitive decline. Natural exosomes or those modified for targeted delivery to specific brain cells (e.g., neurons, oligodendrocytes, astrocytes, and microglia) are loaded with therapeutic molecular cargo (e.g., nucleic acids, proteins, and drugs) using passive or active strategies. Exosomes are then administered systemically, where the route of administration depends upon multiple parameters including stability, biodistribution, dose, and therapeutic efficacy. With their inherent capacity to penetrate the blood brain barrier (BBB), exosomes ferry therapeutic cargos to the targeted brain cells and ameliorate aberrant neurobiological processes (e.g., neuroinflammation, neuronal cell death, Aβ degradation/clearance etc.) that may otherwise contribute to age-related cognitive decline. Created with Biorender.