We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Polystyrene microplastics induce auditory neurotoxicity in mammals: Integrated multi-omics profiling reveals oxidative damage and synaptic molecular dysregulation
AI summary Read the abstract
In rats, tiny plastic particles called microplastics were found to travel to the brain's hearing centers and disrupt how neurons communicate, causing damage that showed up in brain processing before it affected the ears themselves. The plastics triggered harmful oxidative stress and interfered with a key cell signaling pathway, but researchers found that boosting this pathway could help protect brain cells from the damage. While this study was done in rats, not humans, it raises important questions about whether the microplastics we're constantly exposed to in food, water, and air could affect our hearing and brain health.
Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous environmental pollutants, yet their neurotoxic effects on the auditory system remain poorly understood. This study develops an integrated multi-level analytical framework combining auditory neurophysiology, behavioral assessment, tissue biochemistry, transcriptomics, and proteomics to investigate polystyrene (PS)-MPs-induced auditory neurotoxicity in rats. PS-MPs infiltrate the auditory system and significantly impair auditory processing, with central dysfunction emerging earlier and more prominently than peripheral alterations. Multi-omics analyses reveal coordinated suppression of glutamatergic synapse and Wnt signaling pathways in the cochlear nucleus. Mechanistically, PS-MPs perturb the crosstalk between glutamatergic synaptic and Wnt signaling, promoting AMPA receptor (AMPAR) internalization and potentially affecting synaptic plasticity-related processes and neuronal responsiveness. In parallel, PS-MPs trigger oxidative stress, apoptosis, and glial activation, reflecting pronounced neuroinflammatory and redox imbalance. In primary cochlear nucleus neurons (PCNNs), these mechanisms were further validated in vitro, where activation of Wnt signaling by Wnt3a significantly alleviated oxidative injury and reduced AMPAR internalization. Collectively, these findings provide comprehensive preclinical evidence for the neurotoxic potential of MPs and reveal a previously unrecognized PS-MPs-induced auditory neurotoxicity, although further studies are needed for human relevance. Results from the rat model further implicate Wnt-mediated signaling as a potential modulatory pathway underlying MPs-induced synaptic molecular alterations and redox dysfunction.
More Papers Like This
Ototoxicity of polystyrene nanoplastics in mice, HEI-OC1 cells and zebrafish
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers discovered that polystyrene nanoplastics can enter auditory organs and cause hearing-related damage in mice, cell cultures, and zebrafish. The nanoplastics triggered cell death and oxidative stress in hair cells responsible for detecting sound, leading to measurable hearing impairment. The study identifies the auditory system as a previously unrecognized target of nanoplastic toxicity, suggesting that exposure to these particles may pose risks to hearing health.
The effects of microplastics exposure on quail's hypothalamus: Neurotransmission disturbance, cytokine imbalance and ROS/TGF-β/Akt/FoxO3a signaling disruption
AI summary Read the abstract
Japanese quail exposed to polystyrene microplastics for five weeks showed significant brain damage in the hypothalamus, including structural changes to neurons, disrupted chemical signaling, and inflammation. The microplastics caused oxidative stress and interfered with important cell-survival pathways in the brain. While studied in birds, these neurotoxic effects are relevant because similar brain pathways exist in humans, and they suggest microplastic exposure could affect neurological function.
The plastic brain: neurotoxicity of micro- and nanoplastics
AI summary Read the abstract
This review examines the emerging evidence that micro- and nanoplastics can reach the brain in both aquatic animals and mammals, potentially causing neurotoxic effects. Researchers found that exposure to these particles induces oxidative stress, inhibits key enzymes involved in nerve signaling, and alters neurotransmitter levels, which may contribute to behavioral changes. The study highlights that systematic research comparing different particle types, sizes, and exposure conditions is urgently needed to understand the neurological risks.
Polystyrene nanoplastics induce transient microglial activation via endolysosomal retention in the mouse cortex
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles from everyday pollution can reach the brain and temporarily rev up its immune cells, according to a mouse study, with larger particles causing more disruption to genes involved in brain signaling. This suggests that as microplastics build up in our environment, they may quietly affect brain health, even after exposure stops, making plastic pollution a growing concern worth watching.
Adverse interactions of plastic nanoparticles with cultured primary microglial cells.
AI summary Read the abstract
Tiny plastic particles from broken-down polystyrene (a common plastic) can get absorbed into brain immune cells called microglia, causing stress damage and triggering inflammation, according to lab tests on these cells. This matters because microglia act as the brain's cleanup crew and first line of defense, so if microplastics cause them to malfunction, it could contribute to brain inflammation linked to neurological problems—though this study was done in isolated cells, not in living people, so more research is needed to know exactly what this means for human brain health.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.