Overview

• Microplastics, including nanoplastics, have been found in human brain tissue at significantly higher concentrations than in other organs such as the liver and kidneys.
• The study, published in Nature Medicine, observed a 50% increase in brain microplastic levels between 2016 and 2024, with dementia patients showing up to ten times higher concentrations.
• Researchers identified polyethylene, a common plastic used in packaging, as the most prevalent polymer, with particles small enough to cross the blood-brain barrier.
• The health effects of microplastic accumulation in the brain remain unclear, though concerns include potential interference with blood flow, neural connections, and protein aggregation linked to neurological diseases.
• Most microplastics are thought to enter the body through food, particularly meat, as plastic contamination amplifies through agricultural and food production practices.