Microplastics are everywhere, including in humans. Previous work has already shown how particles can enter our bodies in three ways: through ingestion, breathing or absorption through the skin – and, from there, reach other parts of the body. A recent study showed that microplastics can also reach the brain. And the gateway could be the nose.
The discovery refutes the idea that the central organ of the nervous system is isolated from the rest of the body and that the blood-brain barrier is invincible in protecting harmful substances.
Microplastics have reached the brain
The work, carried out by researchers from the Free University of Berlin (Germany) and the University of São Paulo (USP), analyzed tissue samples from residents of São Paulo who had died and undergone routine autopsies. The responsible medical examiners removed the olfactory bulbs from the brains and studied them with a variety of techniques.
See the findings:
Eight of the 15 olfactory bulbs contained microplastics; According to an article by The Conversation, there were only 16 particles in total (between all of them), which may be reassuring; Among the particles were spheres, fibers and fragments of polypropylene, nylon and other types of plastic; They may have come from washing clothes made from synthetic fibers, a significant source of microplastics in the environment.
Research into the impact of microplastics on health is ongoing (Image: Deemerwha studio/Shutterstock)
Entry point for microplastics could be the nose
The mystery to be solved, then, is how microplastics reached the brain. This is because it was long believed that the blood-brain barrier, a special layer of cells, protects the organ against pathogens and other intrusive substances.
The study indicates that this is not the case and that the barrier has a vulnerable point through which microplastics reach the brain. This entry point, according to the work, is in the nose, more specifically in the olfactory nerves, which transport particles through the skull directly to the olfactory bulb.
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Are microplastics bad?
Plastic waste decomposes slowly, releasing tiny particles, microplastics. They are in the soil where food is grown, in the water we drink and in the air we breathe.
Studies on the impact of this material on human health are still under development. Some of the initial findings – which still have limitations and require more research – show that microplastics are linked to a greater likelihood of strokes and heart attacks, inflammation and compromised immune functions, behavioral changes and a link to changes linked to Parkinson's disease.
Current research suggests a possible new entry point for these particles into the body and raises new questions about health impacts.