Researchers at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences have made a shocking discovery – microplastics have been found in human brains, with concentrations increasing by 50% over the past eight years. The tiny plastic particles, which are ubiquitous in our air, water, and soil, have lodged themselves throughout the body, including organs like the liver, kidney, placenta, and testes.
According to toxicologist Matthew Campen, PhD, who led the study published in Nature Medicine, the rate of accumulation mirrors the increasing amounts of plastic waste on the planet. The findings are alarming, as most microplastics in the body are believed to be ingested through food, particularly meat.
Brain tissue from people diagnosed with dementia showed up to 10 times more plastic than in healthy brains. However, the study design cannot confirm whether higher levels of plastic caused the dementia symptoms or if they accumulate due to the disease process itself.
Campen’s team used a novel method to detect and quantify microplastics in brain tissue samples donated by the New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator. The results detected 12 different polymers, with polyethylene being the most common, widely used for packaging and containers.
The researchers found clusters of sharp plastic shards measuring 200 nanometers or less – smaller than viruses – which are small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier but unclear how they are transported into the brain. The study raises questions about what effects plastic particles might have on human health, particularly as it is considered biologically inert and used in medical applications.
The accumulation of microplastics in the body has significant implications for global health, as it will take decades for existing polymers to decay into microscopic particles, leading to continued growth in concentrations. Campen warns that the new findings should trigger alarm about a global threat to human health.
Source: https://hscnews.unm.edu/news/hsc-newsroom-post-microplastics-human-brains