Every day, people breathe, eat, and drink tiny shards of plastic waste known as microplastics and nanoplastics. Scientists have long suspected they may be able to cross the blood-brain barrier, which acts as a filter between the central nervous system and the rest of the body, protecting the brain from toxic substances and providing it with nutrients.

Researchers from the University of New Mexico in the US analysed postmortem samples from 52 human brains, including 28 that were autopsied in 2016 and 24 samples from 2024. They found microplastics in every brain sample – and a 50 per cent higher concentration in 2024 than in 2016.

They also identified higher levels of microplastics in the brain than in other organs like the kidney and liver. Most of the plastic shards found in brain samples were polyethylene, which is widely used for food and drink packaging as well as shampoo bottles, recycling bins, and more.

The new study offers another clue. The researchers studied the brains of 12 people who had dementia, and found a higher concentration of microplastics in their brains than among people without a diagnosis.

The study authors noted that the brain samples were collected from different parts of the US, which could affect the findings. They also stressed that more studies are needed to determine whether microplastics in the brain actually cause health problems, ideally over a longer period of time with bigger groups of people.

Source: Euronews Health

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