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Exposure to polystyrene microplastics impairs hippocampus-dependent learning and memory in mice
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Researchers found that mice exposed to polystyrene microplastics for eight weeks showed impaired learning and memory, with plastic particles detected in their hippocampus, the brain region critical for memory formation. The microplastics caused neuroinflammation, disrupted synaptic signaling, and altered gene expression in the brain. Interestingly, cutting the vagus nerve partially prevented these effects, suggesting that gut-brain communication plays a role in how ingested microplastics affect cognitive function.
Microplastics (MPs) pollution has become a serious environmental issue worldwide, but its potential effects on health remain unknown. The administration of polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) to mice for eight weeks impaired learning and memory behavior. PS-MPs were detected in the brain especially in the hippocampus of these mice. Concurrently, the hippocampus had decreased levels of immediate-early genes, aberrantly enhanced synaptic glutamate AMPA receptors, and elevated neuroinflammation, all of which are critical for synaptic plasticity and memory. Interestingly, ablation of the vagus nerve, a modulator of the gut-brain axis, improved the memory function of PS-MPs mice. These results indicate that exposure to PS-MPs in mice alters the expression of neuronal activity-dependent genes and synaptic proteins, and increases neuroinflammation in the hippocampus, subsequently causing behavioral changes through the vagus nerve-dependent pathway. Our findings shed light on the adverse impacts of PS-MPs on the brain and hippocampal learning and memory.
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Polystyrene microplastics affect learning and memory in mice by inducing oxidative stress and decreasing the level of acetylcholine
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Researchers exposed mice to polystyrene microplastics orally for four weeks and found that the particles impaired learning and memory functions. The microplastics caused oxidative stress in the brain and reduced levels of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter critical for memory. The study suggests that microplastic ingestion may pose neurotoxic risks by disrupting brain chemistry and damaging nerve cells.
The gut-brain axis involved in polystyrene nanoplastics-induced neurotoxicity via reprogramming the circadian rhythm-related pathways
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Researchers found that polystyrene nanoplastics given orally to mice crossed the blood-brain barrier and caused neuronal damage in the hippocampus, the brain region responsible for learning and memory. The nanoplastics disrupted the gut-brain connection by altering gut bacteria and circadian rhythm pathways, leading to measurable declines in learning and memory ability. This study provides a biological mechanism showing how ingested plastic nanoparticles could contribute to brain-related health problems in humans.
Adolescent exposure to micro/nanoplastics induces cognitive impairments in mice with neuronal morphological damage and multi-omic alterations
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Adolescent mice exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics showed significant memory and learning problems, along with neuron loss and reduced new brain cell growth in the hippocampus. The nanoplastics also disrupted gut bacteria and brain chemistry, with strong links found between gut microbiome changes and brain metabolic disruption, suggesting that plastic exposure during youth may impair brain development through the gut-brain connection.
Long-term exposure to polystyrene microplastics reduces macrophages and affects the microbiota–gut–brain axis in mice
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Mice that consumed polystyrene microplastics over an extended period showed reduced immune cells called macrophages in their colons and changes in gut bacteria that were linked to altered brain chemistry. This study provides evidence for a gut-brain connection where microplastics may affect brain function indirectly by first disrupting gut health and the immune system.
Polystyrene Microplastics Disrupt the Gut-Brain Axis via Activating Brain TLR4 and Impair Hippocampal Synapses through the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Pathway
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Scientists found that tiny plastic particles from polystyrene (commonly used in food containers and packaging) can damage the connection between your gut and brain when consumed. These microplastics disrupt healthy gut bacteria, allowing harmful substances to enter the bloodstream and eventually reach the brain, where they cause inflammation and damage to areas important for memory and learning. This research suggests that exposure to these tiny plastic particles could potentially contribute to brain health problems over time.
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