Researchers found microplastics in brain tissue above the nose, raising questions about the health impacts of the fragments.
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Microplastics were found in brain tissue above the nose, the study found. (Image: Getty)
A new study has detected microplastics in the human brain, raising concerns about the potential health impacts of exposure to the tiny plastic fragments.
The study, published on Monday in the journal JAMA Network Open , found microplastics in the olfactory bulbs of 8 of 15 deceased people in Brazil
The olfactory bulb is part of the brain involved in processing of smell and is located above the nose
Researchers said the presence of fragments in the bulb suggested “a potential entry route for microplastics into the brain.”
“The findings underscore the need for further research on the health implications of MP [microplastic] exposure, particularly concerning neurotoxicity and the potential for MPs to bypass the blood-brain barrier,” the study said.
The study found 16 microplastics in the brains of deceased 8 of 15 Sao Paulo residents. The particles ranged from 5.5 micrometers to 26.4 micrometers in size.
The researchers concluded that the study's findings should “raise concern in the context of increasing prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases.”
While microplastics have previously been found in various human organs including the heart, liver, lungs and placenta, the study marks the first time their presence has been documented in the human brain.
The particles are smaller than five millimeters and slough off plastic as it degrades.
Microplastics have also been found in food, air, water, soil, in milk, and in bottled and tap drinking water.
Microplastics have been found in various organs including the heart and liver. (Image: Getty)
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It is unclear how much people ingest, but Australian researchers from the World Wildlife Fund estimated in 2019 that people consume roughly five grams of plastic from food and beverages each week.
Whether or not the tiny fragments are harmful to human health is still being determined.
A 2022 World Health Organization report concluded that there was no clear risk to human health.
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine earlier this year suggested that patients with evidence of plastics in their arteries were at greater risk of death from heart attacks and strokes.