Research suggests the human brain may contain as much as a spoon’s worth of tiny plastic shards. A new study published in Nature Medicine found concentrations of microplastics and nanoplastics in the brains of human cadavers increased by 50% between 2016 and 2024.
Researchers detected high levels of microplastics, which are miniscule plastic fragments resulting from everyday objects like packaging and clothing. The study analyzed brain, kidney, and liver tissue from patients who died between 1997 and 2024, including those with dementia.
The findings show microplastic levels in the brain were 7-30 times higher than in liver and kidney tissue, and three to five times higher in brains of patients with dementia. However, it is unclear whether microplastics cause or contribute to dementia.
The study does not establish a causal relationship between high microplastic levels in the brain and dementia but finds correlation between the two. The researchers suggest that changes resulting from dementia may make it easier for microplastics to accumulate in the brain.
The discovery raises concerns about the potential health consequences of microplastics, as some research suggests they are likely harmful to human bodies. Further studies will be necessary to explore the effects of microplastics on human health and how they enter the brain.
Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-human-brain-may-contain-as-much-as-a-spoons-worth-of-microplastics-new-research-suggests-180985995