Researchers have discovered that microplastics are increasingly accumulating in human brains, surging by 50% in just eight years.
This raises serious concerns about potential links to cognitive decline and neurological diseases.
The study also highlights that the brains of individuals with dementia had five times more microplastics, emphasizing the urgent need to reduce plastic contamination.
Microplastics have infiltrated every nook and cranny of our environment, however, the tiny plastic particles, some of them way thinner than a hair, are also accumulating in our brains at alarming levels, much more than any other body organ.
It seems the plastic concentration in our brain is increasing with each passing year which raises concerns about its potential links to cognitive decline and neurological diseases.
With microplastics present everywhere, from food to drinking water, exposure is increasing rapidly, making the need to reduce contamination more urgent than ever.
“There’s much more plastic in our brains than I ever would have imagined or been comfortable with,” said Matthew Campen, Regents’ Professor and professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.
How much plastic is hiding in our brain?
The study published in Nature Medicine on Monday found that on an average, the brain samples that were studied had about seven grams of microplastics — roughly the weight of an average plastic spoon.
The study examined 24 brain samples from individuals who passed away in early 2024. When researchers compared these findings with 28 brain samples collected in 2016, they discovered a staggering 50% increase in micro- and nanoplastic levels in less than a decade.
The results were even more alarming when analyzing the brains of 12 individuals diagnosed with dementia before their passing.
On average, these samples contained more than five times the amount of plastic particles detected in the 2024 group, raising serious concerns about potential links between microplastic exposure and neurodegenerative diseases.
To confirm their findings, researchers examined brain tissue from samples collected between 1997 and 2013. They found a clear rise in plastic levels, more than double in the 2016 samples and nearly four times higher by 2024.
While the effects on human health are still unclear, the study highlights the need for more research.
Campen noted that this alarming rise is linked to an increase in plastic waste.
Polyethylene, used to pack materials like bottles and cups, emerged as the most common microplastic detected by researchers from the University of New Mexico.
The tiny fragments were capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, although the exact process of it reaching the brain remains unclear. The scientists suspect that they may be entering the brain through our food, particularly meat.
“The way we irrigate fields with plastic-contaminated water, we postulate that the plastics build up there,” Campen said. “We feed those crops to our livestock. We take the manure and put it back on the field, so there may be a sort of feed-forward biomagnification.”
Microplastics are known to trigger inflammation, damage cells, disrupt organ function, and alter immune responses. Plastic exposure is also linked to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as some cancers.
How to minimize microplastic exposure
*Avoid single-use plastics and swap plastic storage containers for glass or metal.
*Never reheat food in plastic containers in the microwave.
*Filter your tap water and get high-quality air filters for your home.
*Keep your living space dust-free.
*Eat less processed foods as they may have higher levels of these tiny particles.
