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Micro- and nanoplastics in the central nervous system: Transport pathways, neurotoxicity, and implications for brain disorders
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This review summarizes how micro- and nanoplastics may move into and out of the brain, by crossing the blood-brain barrier, along nasal routes and through the glymphatic system. Small particles appear hard to eliminate from the brain. The authors discuss possible links to synapse injury, inflammation and cognitive decline, which remain unproven in people.
Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) are widely distributed across global ecosystems and have been extensively detected in human tissues, including the brain. The levels of MNPs are highly correlated with the occurrence of various brain disorders, suggesting the potential central nervous system (CNS) toxicity of MNPs. In this review, we summarize the major circuits by which MNPs may transport into and out of the CNS, including blood-brain barrier crossing, nasal-to-brain routes, and glymphatic system transport. Small-sized MNPs are difficult to eliminate from the brain, which may explain why MNPs may accumulate in the brain. We further discuss the potential neurotoxic effects of MNPs, such as inducing synaptic and neuronal injury, promoting neuroinflammation, dysregulating the neuroendocrine system, and modulating the gut-brain axis. MNP-induced CNS toxicity follows a pattern in which increased susceptibility occurs before direct toxicity. We also review evidence that MNPs, together with environmental and genetic factors, may synergistically contribute to cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease, motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease, and depression- and anxiety-like behaviors. Prenatal exposure to MNPs might induce autism spectrum disorder-related phenotypes in offspring. MNPs could also obstruct cerebral vessels and trigger acute cerebrovascular diseases, as well as promote the entry of viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 into the CNS, thereby increasing the occurrence of neurological symptoms. Finally, this review discusses physical, pharmacological, and plastics substitution interventions designed to regulate MNPs transport in the brain and enhance neuroprotection, thereby reducing CNS toxicity of MNPs.
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This paper reviews existing research on how tiny plastic particles (microplastics and nanoplastics) might get into the brain, whether they can slip past the brain's natural protective barrier, and what effects they could have on the nervous system. Since this is a summary of past studies rather than new lab experiments, it can't yet tell us for certain how dangerous these particles are to human brain health, but it matters because plastics are showing up in our environment, food, and even our bodies, and understanding their potential impact on the brain is an important next step for protecting public health.
A systematic review of the potential neurotoxicity of micro-and nanoplastics: the known and unknown
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