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Nanoplastics and Neurodegeneration in ALS
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This review explores how nanoplastics -- tiny plastic particles that can cross the blood-brain barrier -- may contribute to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disease. Nanoplastics trigger brain inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial damage, and they disrupt the gut-brain connection, all of which are key features of ALS progression.
Plastic production, which exceeds one million tons per year, is of global concern. The constituent low-density polymers enable spread over large distances and micro/nano particles (MNPLs) induce organ toxicity via digestion, inhalation, and skin contact. Particles have been documented in all human tissues including breast milk. MNPLs, especially weathered particles, can breach the blood-brain barrier, inducing neurotoxicity. This has been documented in non-human species, and in human-induced pluripotent stem cell lines. Within the brain, MNPLs initiate an inflammatory response with pro-inflammatory cytokine production, oxidative stress with generation of reactive oxygen species, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Glutamate and GABA neurotransmitter dysfunction also ensues with alteration of excitatory/inhibitory balance in favor of reduced inhibition and resultant neuro-excitation. Inflammation and cortical hyperexcitability are key abnormalities involved in the pathogenic cascade of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and are intricately related to the mislocalization and aggregation of TDP-43, a hallmark of ALS. Water and many foods contain MNPLs and in humans, ingestion is the main form of exposure. Digestion of plastics within the gut can alter their properties, rendering them more toxic, and they cause gut microbiome dysbiosis and a dysfunctional gut-brain axis. This is recognized as a trigger and/or aggravating factor for ALS. ALS is associated with a long (years or decades) preclinical period and neonates and infants are exposed to MNPLs through breast milk, milk substitutes, and toys. This endangers a time of intense neurogenesis and establishment of neuronal circuitry, setting the stage for development of neurodegeneration in later life. MNPL neurotoxicity should be considered as a yet unrecognized risk factor for ALS and related diseases.
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Blood–Brain Barrier Disruption by Microplastics and Nanoplastics: Implications for Neurodegeneration
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This review summarizes existing research on tiny plastic particles reaching the brain and damaging the blood-brain barrier in lab and animal studies, causing cell stress and inflammation similar to patterns seen in Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and ALS. Plastic particles have also been found in human brain tissue, but evidence remains limited, and no causal link to these diseases has been established.
From the Environment to Molecular Interactions of Nanoplastics: Unraveling the Neurotoxic Impacts and the Implications in Neurodegenerative Processes
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This review examines how nanoplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier and potentially contribute to brain damage and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Nanoplastics have been found in food, water, and air, and once they reach the brain they can trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and protein misfolding. The review calls for more realistic lab studies and better detection methods to understand the true scope of nanoplastic effects on brain health.
Central nervous system concentrations of nano- and microplastics and risk of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
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A new study found that people with ALS (a serious disease that damages nerve cells controlling muscles) had higher levels of tiny plastic particles in their blood and spinal fluid compared to people without the disease. While this doesn't prove plastics cause ALS, it's possible the disease itself leads to more plastic buildup, the findings raise concerns that everyday plastic exposure might play a role in nerve damage, making this an important area for future research.
Neurotoxicity of Micro- and Nanoplastics: A Comprehensive Review of Central Nervous System Impacts
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This comprehensive review summarizes the evidence linking micro- and nanoplastic exposure to damage in the brain and nervous system. The plastics can harm neurons, disrupt the protective blood-brain barrier, trigger brain inflammation, and promote the clumping of proteins associated with diseases like Alzheimer's. The review highlights the gut-brain axis as a key pathway, meaning microplastics swallowed in food and water could affect brain health through the digestive system.
Mechanistic insight of neurodegeneration due to micro/nano-plastic-induced gut dysbiosis.
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This review provided mechanistic insight into how micro/nano-plastic-induced gut dysbiosis drives neurodegeneration, tracing a pathway from intestinal microbiome disruption to neuroinflammation and brain damage. It identified the gut-brain axis as the critical link between plastic particle exposure and progressive neurodegenerative conditions.
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