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61,005 resultsShowing papers similar to White matter hyperintensities and microplastics
ClearWhite mater hyperintensities and microplastics
Using post-mortem MRI aligned with antemortem scans and pyrolysis GC/MS, researchers found large amounts of plastics in brain regions corresponding to white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and identified the cellular location of plastic particles using novel optical imaging. The findings suggest a potential link between microplastic accumulation in the brain and MRI-detectable white matter abnormalities.
Exploring Vascular Contributions to Cognitive Impairment with Focus on Small-Vessel Disease of White Matter and Micro/nanoplastics
Researchers propose a pathology classification framework for vascular causes of cognitive impairment and highlight the recent discovery of micro/nanoplastics in human brain tissue as a factor that may reshape understanding of vascular dementia by linking plastic accumulation to cerebrovascular damage.
A novel risk factor for dementia: chronic microplastic exposure
This review examines emerging evidence that chronic microplastic exposure may be a previously overlooked risk factor for dementia. Microplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier and may promote brain damage through oxidative stress, inflammation, and by accelerating the buildup of amyloid plaques linked to Alzheimer's disease, with studies finding higher microplastic levels in the brains of dementia patients compared to controls.
Detection of micro- and nanoplastics in cerebrospinal fluid and blood: Implications for brain diseases
Researchers measured micro- and nanoplastic concentrations in paired cerebrospinal fluid and blood samples from patients with neurological conditions. They detected five types of plastic polymers in both fluids, with blood containing significantly higher concentrations than cerebrospinal fluid, and found correlations between plastic levels in the two fluids among patients with neuroimmune and neuroinfectious conditions. The study also identified disrupted metabolic pathways associated with higher plastic concentrations, suggesting a potential link between plastic particle exposure and changes in brain chemistry that warrants further investigation.
Association Between Microplastic Exposure and Cognitive Function Decline
Researchers detected PET and polypropylene microplastics in blood, urine, and feces of study participants and found a significant association between higher microplastic concentrations in biological fluids and greater cognitive function decline, particularly among those with the highest exposure levels.
Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains
Researchers found microplastics in human brain, liver, and kidney tissue samples, with plastic levels significantly higher in samples from 2024 compared to 2016. The brain contained especially high levels of polyethylene, and brains from people with dementia had even more plastic accumulation. These findings suggest that microplastics are building up in human organs over time, raising urgent questions about potential health effects.
Crossing barriers – tracking micro- and nanoplastic pathways into the human brain
Researchers tracked potential pathways for micro- and nanoplastics to enter the human brain using both laboratory cell experiments and post-mortem human brain tissue. They found nanoplastic remnants inside cells of the choroid plexus, a brain barrier structure, as well as in cerebrospinal fluid immune cells from geriatric patients. These preliminary findings suggest that plastic particles can cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate alongside age-related cellular debris in human brain tissue.
Elucidating the Neurotoxicopathological Impact of Micro and Nanoplastics: Mechanistic Insights Into Oxidative Stress-mediated Neurodegeneration and Implications for Public Health in a Plastic Pervasive Era
Researchers reviewed the growing evidence linking micro- and nanoplastic exposure to neurodegenerative diseases, identifying oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, DNA damage, and protein misfolding as key mechanisms of harm to the brain. The review highlights critical knowledge gaps — especially around chronic low-dose exposure — and calls for better detection tools and public health policies to address the emerging neurological threat from plastic pollution.
Brain under siege: the role of micro and nanoplastics in neuroinflammation and oxidative stress
This review examines emerging evidence that micro- and nanoplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in nervous tissue, potentially triggering neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Researchers summarized findings showing these particles may act as neurotoxicants that contribute to synaptic dysfunction and pathological changes in brain cells. The study highlights the need for further research into how chronic plastic particle exposure may affect central nervous system health over time.
Abstract TP089: Micro and Nano plastics in Cerebrovascular Health: A systematic Review of Current Evidence and Research Directions
This systematic review examines emerging evidence linking micro- and nanoplastics to cerebrovascular health problems. Studies found plastic particles in human brain blood vessels and arterial plaques, with evidence suggesting they may promote inflammation and oxidative stress that could contribute to stroke risk.
Association of microplastics in human cerebrospinal fluid with Alzheimer’s disease-related changes
Researchers detected four types of microplastics in human cerebrospinal fluid (the liquid surrounding the brain and spinal cord) and found that people with Alzheimer's disease markers had significantly higher levels of polyethylene and PVC. Higher microplastic levels in cerebrospinal fluid were linked to worse cognitive test scores and faster mental decline over one year, suggesting a potential connection between brain microplastic exposure and Alzheimer's progression.
Correlative spectroscopy and microscopy analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in complex biological matrices
Researchers combined fluorescence microscopy, second harmonic generation imaging, and coherent Raman scattering to detect and map micro- and nanoplastics in lung cells, zebrafish, and mouse tissues. Polystyrene nanoplastics were found to cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in lipid-rich brain regions in animal models.
Crossing barriers – tracking micro- and nanoplastic pathways into the human brain
Researchers tracked potential pathways by which micro- and nanoplastics may enter the human brain, examining both in vitro cell models and post-mortem brain tissue. They found that human monocytes rapidly internalized polystyrene particles into endocytic vesicles and mitochondria, and detected plastic particles in brain tissue samples, providing evidence that nanoplastics may be capable of crossing brain barriers.
Nano- and Microplastics in the Brain: An Emerging Threat to Neural Health
This review summarizes evidence that nano- and microplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier and accumulate in brain tissue, where they trigger oxidative stress, inflammation, and protein clumping linked to diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The findings suggest that plastic particles may also interfere with the brain's ability to heal from injury, though long-term human studies are still lacking.
Micro- and nanoplastics are elevated in femoral atherosclerotic plaques compared with undiseased arteries
Researchers found significantly higher concentrations of microplastics and nanoplastics in diseased arterial plaques from human patients with limb-threatening vascular disease compared to healthy arteries, adding to growing evidence that these particles accumulate in cardiovascular tissue and may play a role in artery disease.
Post-mortem evidence of microplastic bioaccumulation in human organs: insights from advanced imaging and spectroscopic analysis
Researchers examined tissue samples from deceased individuals and found microplastics in the brain, liver, thyroid, kidney, heart, muscle, and lungs, with the thyroid, kidney, and brain showing the highest contamination at up to 40 particles per gram of tissue. Nanoscale plastic particles smaller than 0.02 micrometers were also detected, indicating that the tiniest plastics can cross biological barriers and accumulate deep in human organs.
Effects of Microplastic Accumulation on Neuronal Death After Global Cerebral Ischemia
Researchers found that microplastics worsened brain damage after a stroke-like event in mice, increasing inflammation, damaging the protective coating around nerve fibers, and causing more brain cell death. The microplastics also triggered the release of abnormal tau proteins, similar to what happens in Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that microplastic exposure could make the brain more vulnerable to injury and neurodegenerative conditions.
Insights into the toxic effects of micro-nano-plastics on the human brain and their relationship with the onset of neurological diseases: A narrative review.
This review examined toxic effects of micro and nano-plastics (MNPs) on the human brain, linking MNP exposure to neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, disruption of the blood-brain barrier, and progression toward neurodegenerative diseases. The authors synthesized evidence from cell studies, animal models, and emerging human data.
Microplastics block blood flow in the brain, mouse study reveals
A mouse study using real-time imaging found that cells stuffed with microplastics can form clumps that block blood flow in the brain, affecting the animals' ability to move. This research raises concerns about potential neurological effects of microplastic accumulation in the bodies of mammals.
Cerebral to SystemicRepresentations of Alzheimer’sPathogenesis Stimulated by Polystyrene Nanoplastics
Researchers exposed both wild-type and APP/PS1 Alzheimer's model mice to environmental levels of polystyrene nanoplastics and measured Alzheimer's-like pathology progression. Nanoplastics exacerbated cognitive decline, microglial activation, and hippocampal neuronal death, particularly in the Alzheimer's model, with systemic inflammatory effects suggesting plastic particles may accelerate neurodegeneration.
Correlative spectroscopy and microscopy analysis of micro- and nanoplastics in complex biological matrices
Researchers combined fluorescence, second harmonic generation, and coherent Raman scattering microscopy in a single instrument to image micro- and nanoplastics in lung cells, zebrafish, and mouse tissues. Polystyrene nanoplastics crossed the blood-brain barrier and accumulated in lipid-rich brain regions in mouse models.
Tissue-specific distribution of microplastics in human blood and carotid plaques: A paired sample analysis
In a study of 20 patients undergoing surgery for clogged neck arteries, researchers found microplastics in both blood and artery plaque samples from every patient. The plaques contained nearly six times more microplastics than blood, suggesting that plastics accumulate in damaged blood vessels. Some types of microplastics were linked to changes in cholesterol levels, raising questions about whether plastic particles could worsen heart disease.
Deciphering the Neurotoxic Burden of Micro- and Nanoplastics: From Multi-model Experimental Evidence to Therapeutic Innovation
This review summarizes research on how micro- and nanoplastics damage the brain and nervous system, covering evidence from cell studies, animal experiments, and clinical observations. Plastic particles can cross the blood-brain barrier, disrupt the gut-brain connection, cause oxidative stress, and trigger inflammation that leads to memory problems and cognitive decline. The review also discusses potential treatment strategies, making it a useful resource for understanding the brain health risks of plastic exposure.
Microplastics Accumulation Induces Kynurenine-Derived Neurotoxicity in Cerebral Organoids and Mouse Brain
Researchers found that microplastics accumulate in brain tissue in both lab-grown brain models and mice, where they trigger a toxic pathway that produces harmful compounds called kynurenines, leading to brain inflammation and DNA damage. This study provides a specific biological mechanism for how microplastics could contribute to brain damage and neurological problems in humans.