For the first time, microplastics have been found in the human brain. Specifically, researchers have discovered that these toxic, degraded plastic leftovers have reached the olfactory bulb—a part of the brain responsible for processing neural signals about smells detected by cells in the nasal cavity. This discovery amplifies our previous reporting on existing concerns about the potential adverse health impacts of microplastics on the human body and all forms of life. We know these pollutants are “everywhere” and can influence immune responses. Now confirmed in the brain, what are the implications of finding MPs in the olfactory bulb, which is located at the base of the brain and is part of the central nervous system?
After studying the olfactory bulbs of 15 deceased individuals between the ages of 33 and 100, researchers in Brazil and Germany found microplastics in the brain’s small center, the olfactory bulb, of 8 subjects. The prevailing shapes were particles and fibers, with polypropylene being the most common polymer, followed by polyamide, nylon, and polyethylene vinyl acetate. In total, the researchers found 16 MPs in the tissues, ranging from 5.5 micrometers to 26.4 micrometers. The smallest were more microscopic than the diameter of a human red blood cell, which measures roughly 8 micrometers. These contaminants were likely breathed in throughout each individual’s lifetime, floating unseen in the air we breathe daily to survive.
The study is significant because, even though deadly MPs have been found in the liver, blood, testicles, semen, breast milk, and lungs of humans, it has long been thought that the very protective blood-brain barrier would somehow keep the poisonous particles out of the brain. Still, considering that the dangerous, experimental mRNA jabs cross the blood-brain barrier, it’s no surprise microplastics have invaded the brain. Highlighting the dangers of this discovery, Dr. Wells Brambl, core faculty for medical toxicology at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York City, explained:
“So when you breathe through your nose, your olfactory nerve directly samples particles and reacts to the particles that you are inhaling as a direct sensory mechanism.
The fact that there’s no blood-brain barrier there leads to direct access to the brain and—most importantly—right above the olfactory nerve are the frontal and prefrontal lobes, which are where we believe the seat of consciousness is.”
Hmmm. Deadly microplastics right beside the seat of consciousness. That does not sound good. The study researchers point out that previous studies have shown that environmental black carbon particles from air pollution have been found in the olfactory bulb of humans. Likewise, in rare cases, tiny ameboid have penetrated the brain via the nose, causing deadly amebic meningoencephalitis. But now, we see a direct path for microplastics to enter the brain.
Study author Dr. Thais Mauad, an associate professor of pathology at the University of São Paulo Medical School in Brazil, noted that previous studies in humans and animals have proven that air pollution reaches the brain. “We thought if bacteria can pass through this pathway, microplastics might be able to, too,” adding, “Particles have been found in the olfactory bulb, which is why we think the olfactory bulb is one of the first points for microplastics to reach the brain.” Speaking about propylene, the predominant toxin found in the study, Mauad remarked:
“Propylene is everywhere: in furniture, rugs, and clothes. We know we are most exposed to particles indoors because all of our homes are full of plastic.”
Matthew Campen, a toxicologist at the University of New Mexico who has explored microplastics in the brain, said the presence of microplastics in the olfactory bulb “is unique but not terribly surprising.” He explained to NBC News that the nose is a significant point of defense for keeping particles and dust out of the lungs. He was not surprised to see some microplastics in the olfactory system, “especially given how they are being found everywhere else in the body.” Though not noted in the study, Campen said he feels confident the samples also contained many much smaller toxins called nanoplastics, which vary in size from 2 to 1,000 nanometers. For context, a strand of human DNA is about 2.5 nanometers thick, and one micrometer is 1,000 times larger than a nanometer. Campen added:
“There’s evidence that very small airborne particles can move to the brain via the olfactory bulb, but this is not known to be a major route of trafficking material to the brain.”
Of course, microplastics are not just ubiquitously floating unseen in the air. No, indeed, primary and secondary microplastics are everywhere. According to experts at Yale, primary MPs are plastic particles designed to be very small on purpose to carry out an intended function. These tiny microbeads are very often found in items like exfoliating face washes or as fine powder in toothpaste and sunscreen. These toxins are typically washed down the drain, slip through water treatment plants, and enter into waterways, contaminating fish and other life forms. Secondary microplastics are “large plastic materials that could be used in packaging or building materials that just get ground down over time either through abrasion, wind, or sun rays, and become microplastics.” Plastic bottles, bags, food containers, paints, coatings, adhesives, face masks, electronics, clothing with synthetic fibers … the list is endless. Dr. Peter Myers of the Plastic Health Council remarked:
“Plastic has infiltrated every aspect of our lives, and its toxic legacy is a ticking time bomb for our health.”
Myers’s colleague, Prof. Dr. Dick Vethaak agreed. Highlighting the root of the problem, Vethaak stated, “For reasons that defy all logic and responsibility, plastics have largely escaped regulatory scrutiny for over 100 years.” It’s the name of the game—profit and greed override protecting health, and it’s not just happening in the world of plastics. And even though experts say no single study has yet conclusively mapped out the full extent of the effect of MPs on the olfactory bulb and brain, we know for a fact that MPs cause inflammation, oxidative stress, and neurotoxicity in the tissues they infiltrate. Plastics have invaded our bodies, and the dire implications of now finding toxic microplastics in the brain—right next to our seat of consciousness—cannot be overlooked and are indeed a ticking time bomb for our health.
Tracy Beanz & Michelle Edwards