Microplastics detected in human brain tissue – study

Microplastics have become ubiquitous, putting them into the minds of many. However, a recent study suggests its presence could be quite literal!

An international research team found traces of plastic pollution in human olfactory bulbs. It’s the part of the brain that helps us understand “smell information.”

As a result, the findings raise crucial questions about how microplastics could potentially damage human brains. 

How did researchers discover microplastics in the brain?

The study involved various researchers like Freie Universität Berlin Environmental Engineer Luís Fernando Amato-Lourenço. They examined samples from 15 deceased humans and found microplastics in eight. 

ScienceAlert cites previous research that suggests microplastics could be entering the brain through the cribriform plate below the olfactory bulb. They posted their findings on the JAMA Network Open. The published study is the first to detect this material in brain tissue.

READ: Southeast Asia tops global intake of microplastics – study

“While microplastics have been detected in various human tissues, their presence in the human brain has not been documented,” the researchers wrote in the paper.

Consequently, it raises “important questions about potential neurotoxic effects and the mechanisms by which microplastics might reach brain tissues.”

The study notes that particles and fibers were the microplastics’ most common shapes. Moreover, most consist of polypropylene, one of the most widely used plastics.

You can find it in virtually everything, from car parts to packaging. The microplastic particle sizes range from 5.5 micrometers to 26.4 micrometers. For reference, that’s less than a quarter of the width of an average human hair. 

READ: Traffic emissions mess with our sense of smell

“The identification of microplastics in the nose and now in the olfactory bulb, along with the vulnerable anatomical pathways…”

“…reinforces the notion that the olfactory pathway is an important entry site for exogenous particles to the brain,” wrote the researchers.

Most may assume that microplastics could harm humans. Contrary to popular belief, experts have limited evidence linking this pollutant to serious health effects. 

“Based on WHO analysis, there is currently limited evidence to suggest microplastics are causing significant adverse health impacts,” the United Nations Development Program says.