Plastic is everywhere, literally! It seems that our brains are increasingly becoming a hotbed for it, and I don’t mean it in a metaphorical, smartphone-obsessed kind of way. A recent study has uncovered some unsettling facts about microplastics in our noggins, and this just might make you rethink your everyday habits. We hear about microplastics, but this takes the concern about the impact of plastic in today’s world to a totally new level of concern.
Plastic – Evidence Is Hard to Dispute
Researchers led by Matthew Campen, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico, have made a striking discovery. Autopsied human brains from 2024 were housing more plastic, tiny shards to be exact, than samples from eight years prior. The plastic concentration in these brains was seven to 30 times higher than in kidneys and liver. That might sound incredibly abstract, so let’s put it in perspective: the plastic content in the brains of cognitively normal individuals aged around 45 to 50 was equivalent to an entire standard plastic spoon! Yeah, you heard that right.
Interestingly, researchers found a higher presence of these shards in the brains of those who had dementia before their death, as compared to healthy individuals. It doesn’t necessarily mean that this was the cause of dementia, but it’s an important detail that’s worth further investigation. This offers a unique standpoint that may very well lead to even more investigation over the years to come.
Research and More Research
Experts are racing to figure out what potentially harmful effects these plastics might have on us. Do these particles just flow around our brain tissues, or do they settle and cause havoc? Furthermore, can our brain eliminate these particles, like our liver and kidneys apparently can? Answers to these questions are crucial for painting a clearer picture of how we’re affected by the barrage of microplastics we’re exposed to daily.
But just how are we ending up with a plastic smorgasbord in our brains? Here’s the most likely culprit: our diet. We consume micro- and nanoplastics through the food we eat, and we’re also inadvertently inhaling them. For example, car tires’ wear and tear on highways sends microplastics hurtling into the air. Even coastal waves kick oceanic microplastics into the air, just waiting to be drawn into our lungs.
Preventative Measures
So, what can we do to curb our personal use and intake? It’s a tricky situation, given the amount of plastics in our lives. But there are ways to minimize your exposure. For instance, consider removing the film from foods before heating them, as the heat aids in transferring microplastics from the film to the food. You could choose cloth bags over plastic bags when shopping. Make a point to avoid single-use containers when you can. Do you enjoy bottled water? You might want to reconsider, as a liter of it can contain an average of 240,000 plastic particles! As alternatives, try metal or glass cups and store your food in glass containers instead.
Summary
While there’s still much more to learn about how microplastics affect us, it’s clear that we should already be taking steps to lessen and manage our exposure. After all, as far as we know, the only junk that should be allowed to reside in our heads is the lyrics to our favorite pop songs, not actual microplastic particles! We should all work to lessen the use of plastic while promoting the use of safer alternatives in our daily lives.
