Nanoplastic particles breach the blood-brain barrier
In a first-of-its-kind study on living human tissues, a research team from the Medical University of Vienna in Austria revealed that ultra-fine plastic particles (nanoplastics) are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, a natural defense system that separates blood from the central nervous system’s fluids and protects the brain from toxic substances and germs.
The journal “Environmental Science & Technology” published the results, which warned that these particles (which have a diameter of less than 200 nanometers, meaning they are smaller than viruses) may accumulate in astrocytes and microglial cells, causing chronic inflammation and cell death associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
According to the study, which included 52 brain samples from deceased individuals in major cities (Tehran, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Mexico City), all samples contained plastic particles, with an average concentration of 12 micrograms per gram of tissue. Chemical analysis showed that polyethylene (used in bags and bottles) was the most common, followed by polypropylene (can lids) and nylon (synthetic clothing). Lead author Dr. Lukas King explained that “ultra-fine particles disguise themselves as lipid molecules and hijack cellular transport mechanisms to make their way into the brain, something we believed was impossible until recently.”
The study also noted the impairment of mitochondrial function in nerve cells, reducing energy production by 35 percent in samples exposed to high concentrations.
The study called for the establishment of new safe limits for daily exposure to nanoplastics and the inclusion of brain tissue analysis in environmental quality indicators. It also urged the World Health Organization to conduct urgent research on the effects of these particles on fetuses and infants, as their blood-brain barrier is not yet fully developed. The report concluded that plastic is no longer just garbage in the oceans, but has become a silent invader infiltrating the body’s holiest fortress: the brain.
