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20 resultsShowing papers similar to Editor's evaluation: Environmental enrichment enhances patterning and remodeling of synaptic nanoarchitecture as revealed by STED nanoscopy
ClearEnvironmental enrichment enhances patterning and remodeling of synaptic nanoarchitecture revealed by STED nanoscopy
This neuroscience study used STED super-resolution microscopy to show that environmental enrichment enhances the size and structural complexity of synapses in the brain. It is a basic neuroscience paper not related to microplastics or environmental plastic pollution.
Decision letter: Environmental enrichment enhances patterning and remodeling of synaptic nanoarchitecture as revealed by STED nanoscopy
This is a decision letter from peer reviewers evaluating a neuroscience paper on synaptic plasticity and environmental enrichment. It is not related to microplastics or environmental contamination.
Environmental enrichment enhances patterning and remodeling of synaptic nanoarchitecture as revealed by STED nanoscopy
Researchers used STED nanoscopy to reveal that environmental enrichment enhances the patterning and remodeling of synaptic nanoarchitecture in the brain, demonstrating experience-dependent structural plasticity at an unprecedented nanoscale resolution.
Author response: Environmental enrichment enhances patterning and remodeling of synaptic nanoarchitecture as revealed by STED nanoscopy
Researchers developed a virtually crosstalk-free two-color in vivo STED nanoscopy system to simultaneously superresolve PSD95 post-synaptic density dynamics and spine geometry in the mouse cortex, finding that environmental enrichment enhanced the patterning and remodeling of synaptic nanoarchitecture in ways not detectable by conventional microscopy.
In vivo super-resolution of the brain – How to visualize the hidden nanoplasticity?
Researchers reviewed how super-resolution fluorescence microscopy techniques — which allow scientists to image structures smaller than what conventional light microscopes can resolve — are being used to study the nanoscale structure and plasticity of brain synapses in living mice. These imaging advances help reveal how tiny changes in brain connections relate to learning and memory, using "nanoplasticity" in its neurological sense rather than as a reference to 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.
Assessing the Impact of Microplastics on Brain Chemistry: The Need for a Comprehensive Policy Framework to Mitigate Toxicity
This review examines the growing evidence that microplastics can cross biological barriers, accumulate in brain tissue, and affect neurological function. Researchers found that microplastic exposure has been linked to neurotoxicity, oxidative stress, and inflammation in the brain, with potential implications for neurotransmitter systems and cognitive function. The study calls for comprehensive regulatory measures to limit microplastic pollution and further research into the long-term neurological health effects.
The impact of microplastics on neurodegenerative diseases and underlying molecular mechanisms: A narrative review
This review explores how microplastics that accumulate in the environment can reach the brain through inhalation or by crossing the blood-brain barrier. Researchers examined evidence suggesting that microplastics may contribute to the onset or acceleration of neurodegenerative conditions by triggering harmful responses in brain cells. The study calls for stronger environmental policies, better detection methods, and further research into potential therapeutic interventions.
From environment to brain: the role of microplastics in neurobehavioral disorders
This review examines how microplastics enter the human body and cross the blood-brain barrier, linking their presence in neural tissue to neurobehavioral disorders through mechanisms including neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of neurotransmitter systems.
The Effects of Nanoplastics on the Dopamine System of Cerebrocortical Neurons
Researchers studied how nanoplastics affect the dopamine system in brain neurons grown in the lab. They found that nanoplastics accumulated inside neurons in a dose-dependent manner and altered the levels of proteins involved in dopamine signaling. These results suggest that nanoplastic exposure could potentially interfere with brain chemistry, though more research is needed to understand what this means for human health.
The Urgent Need to Assess and Prevent the Deposits of Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Our Brain
This peer-reviewed commentary argues for urgent research into the deposition of microplastics and nanoplastics in the human brain, calling for standardized methods and more investigation into potential neurological consequences.
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.
Nano/micro-plastic, an invisible threat getting into the brain
This editorial highlights growing evidence that nano- and microplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier through the bloodstream and nasal passages, triggering neuroinflammation and potentially contributing to brain disorders. The authors call for urgent multidisciplinary research to understand the pathways by which these plastic particles reach the brain and what long-term neurological damage they may cause.
Polystyrene microplastics induced disturbances in neuronal arborization and dendritic spine density in mice prefrontal cortex
Mice that consumed polystyrene microplastics for 28 days showed significant damage to brain cells in the prefrontal cortex, the region responsible for decision-making and behavior. The neurons had shorter branches, fewer connections, and reduced levels of a key growth factor called BDNF. These findings suggest that microplastic exposure could affect brain structure and potentially cognitive function, raising concerns about the neurological effects of chronic microplastic ingestion in humans.
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(nano)plastics in the brain: Epigenetic perturbations in progression to neurodegenerative diseases.
This review examined how micro(nano)plastics (MNPs) accumulate in the brain and induce epigenetic changes—including DNA methylation and histone modification—that may drive the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. MNPs were found to disrupt neuronal homeostasis through multiple epigenetic mechanisms after crossing the blood-brain barrier.
Neurophysiological and Behavioral Effects of Micro- and Nanoplastics in Aquatic Organisms
Researchers reviewed evidence that micro- and nanoplastics in aquatic environments cross the blood-brain barrier, accumulate in neural tissues, and cause oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and disrupted neurotransmitter signaling, with downstream effects on locomotion, feeding, predator avoidance, and social behavior across multiple aquatic species.
The effects of micro- and nanoplastics on the central nervous system: A new threat to humanity?
This review summarizes growing evidence that micro- and nanoplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier and damage the central nervous system through inflammation, oxidative stress, and disruption of brain chemicals. The authors note that microplastic exposure has been linked to memory and behavior changes in animals and may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's, though direct human evidence is still limited.
Microplastics exposure affects neural development of human pluripotent stem cell-derived cortical spheroids
Researchers used lab-grown human brain tissue models to study how polystyrene microplastics affect early brain development. Short-term exposure stimulated cell growth, but longer exposure reduced cell survival and disrupted the expression of genes critical for brain tissue formation. The findings suggest that microplastic exposure could potentially interfere with embryonic brain development in a way that depends on both particle size and concentration.
Our plastic world – what does it mean for our health?
A brief overview of the NanoGlia ERC research project describes ongoing investigations into how nanoplastic particles activate brain immune cells (microglia), potentially triggering neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. This research addresses a critical gap: whether the nanoplastics now found in human brain tissue are causally linked to neurological disease.