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Microplastics and Nanoplastics in the Brain and Central Nervous System: A Translational Systematic Review of CNS Entry, Accumulation, Blood-Brain Barrier Translocation, and Neurological Effects

Open MIND 2026
Victor Zanetti Strutz, Antônio Carlos Samaia da Silva Coelho, Giovanna Sabino Bezerra Corrêa, Renan Campos Vieira, Hebert Dias de Souza, Carlos Gilberto Carlotti Junior, Eberval Gadelha Figueiredo‬‬‬

Summary

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.

Body Systems
Study Type Review

This project will systematically review and translationally integrate evidence on the entry, accumulation, barrier translocation or disruption, neurological effects, and neurotoxic mechanisms of microplastics and nanoplastics in the brain and central nervous system. Human, mammalian in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro evidence will remain separate throughout selection, extraction, appraisal, and synthesis.

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