New research indicates that microplastics may be able to get into our brains when we breathe. According to a study by researchers at the Freie Universität Berlin and the University of São Paulo, which was published in the journal PubMed, microplastics can enter our brains via the olfactory nerves and olfactory bulb.
What's happening?
While previous research had indicated that microplastics were entering human bodies through eating and drinking, breathing them into our lungs, and absorbing them into our skin, this new research shows we could be absorbing microplastics directly into our brains when we breathe.
"This case series provides evidence of MPs found in the human olfactory bulb, suggesting a potential pathway for the translocation of MPs to the brain," the researchers wrote. "The findings underscore the need for further research on the health implications of MP exposure, particularly concerning neurotoxicity and the potential for MPs to bypass the blood-brain barrier."
A study from researchers at the University of New Mexico in early 2024 also found a surprising amount of microplastics in peoples' brains.
"It's pretty alarming," lead author Matthew Campen, a toxicologist and professor of pharmaceutical sciences at UNM, said. "There's much more plastic in our brains than I ever would have imagined or been comfortable with."
Why are microplastics concerning?
Plastic does not biodegrade naturally. Instead, it breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces that never really go away. The resulting tiny particles are called microplastics, and they exist forever in the environment — and in our bodies.
The long-term health effects of increasing amounts of microplastic in humans' (and other animals') bodies are not yet fully understood, but they are not likely to be good.
A July experiment performed on pigs showed that microplastics could negatively affect the functioning of the nervous system connected to digestion.
Other studies have linked microplastics to decreased fertility and other health problems, although these links have yet to be proved definitively.
What's being done about microplastics?
The easiest and most consequential steps we can take in our everyday lives to avoid microplastics entering our bodies are to stop eating and drinking from plastic containers. Avoiding plastic water bottles and single-use tea bags can lower your exposure.
However, as these studies have shown, microplastics can still enter your body just by breathing, which is not something that you can or should avoid doing. That's why it's so crucial that we drastically decrease the amount of new, virgin plastic our society produces.
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