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Microplastics in Brain : A Potential Trigger for Dementia?

by Dr. Leena M on Mar 6 2025 12:14 PM
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A groundbreaking study reveals microplastic build up in human brains ,especially in dementia patients. The findings raise potential health risks.

Microplastics in Brain : A Potential Trigger for Dementia?
Microplastic accumulation in human brain tissue has raised serious concerns, offering new insights into its potential health risks and ways to mitigate exposure. This groundbreaking Nature Medicine study by Nihart et al. (2025) on the bioaccumulation of microplastics in deceased individuals has uncovered key findings.
The research indicates that human brains contain roughly the equivalent of a spoonful of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs), with concentrations 3-5 times higher in individuals diagnosed with dementia. Even more alarming, MNP levels in brain tissue were found to be 7-30 times greater than in other organs, such as the liver or kidneys."The dramatic increase in brain microplastic concentrations over just eight years, from 2016 to 2024, is particularly alarming," notes Dr. Nicholas Fabiano from the University of Ottawa's Department of Psychiatry, lead author of the Commentary. "This rise mirrors the exponential increase we're seeing in environmental microplastic levels."


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How Microplastics Cross the Blood-Brain Barrier

Particles smaller than 200 nanometers, primarily made of polyethylene, are particularly concerning as they accumulate in cerebrovascular walls and immune cells. Their tiny size enables them to potentially penetrate the blood-brain barrier, prompting concerns about their impact on neurological health.


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Reducing Exposure by Practical Prevention Strategies

The Commentary review highlights practical strategies for reducing exposure, noting that switching from bottled to filtered tap water alone could reduce microplastic intake from 90,000 to 4,000 particles per year. "Bottled water alone can expose people to nearly as many microplastic particles annually as all ingested and inhaled sources combined," says Dr. Brandon Luu, an Internal Medicine Resident at the University of Toronto. "Switching to tap water could reduce this exposure by almost 90%, making it one of the simplest ways to cut down on microplastic intake." Other significant sources include plastic tea bags, which can release millions of micro and nano-sized particles per brewing session. He also highlights that how we heat and store food matters. "Heating food in plastic containers—especially in the microwave—can release substantial amounts of microplastics and nanoplastics," he explains. "Avoiding plastic food storage and using glass or stainless steel alternatives is a small but meaningful step in limiting exposure. While these changes make sense, we still need research to confirm whether lowering intake leads to reduced accumulation in human tissues."


Potential Pathways for Microplastic Elimination

The research team also explores potential elimination pathways, including evidence that sweating might help remove certain plastic-derived compounds from the body. However, Dr. David Puder, host of the Psychiatry & Psychotherapy Podcast, warns, "We need more research to wrap our heads around microplastics—rather than wrapping our brains in them—since this could be one of the biggest environmental storms most people never saw coming."The commentary calls for urgent research priorities, including establishing clear exposure limits and assessing long-term health consequences of microplastic accumulation. The authors emphasize the need for large-scale human studies to determine dose-response relationships between microplastic exposure and chronic health outcomes.

Source-University of Ottawa



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