Health
Life with plastic is not fantastic.
A study published this month in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found that microplastics spread in the body and cause worrying behavioral changes.
Tiny plastic particles less than 5 millimeters long — or about the size of a pencil eraser — are some of the most common and pervasive pollutants on the planet, making their way into air, water and food.
Now research has shown microplastics infiltrate the body as extensively as they do the environment.
Scientists at the University of Rhode Island exposed young and old mice to varying levels of microplastics in their drinking water for three weeks.
The researchers noticed the animals began to move and act “peculiarly,” exhibiting behavior similar to dementia in humans.
Older animals seemed to be most affected.
“To us, this was striking. These were not high doses of microplastics, but in only a short period of time, we saw these changes,” lead researcher Jaime Ross said in a statement.
After dissecting the animals, the researchers found the particles had started to accumulate in every organ, including the brain and in bodily waste.
Because the microplastics were ingested by mouth, it was expected they would be found in the gastrointestinal tract, liver and kidneys — but their expansion to other tissues was shocking.
“The detection of microplastics in tissues such as the heart and lungs, however, suggests that the microplastics are going beyond the digestive system and likely undergoing systemic circulation,” Ross explained.
“The brain blood barrier is supposed to be very difficult to permeate. It is a protective mechanism against viruses and bacteria, yet these particles were able to get in there. It was actually deep in the brain tissue.”
The experts noted that the microplastics’ penetration of brain tissue may lead to a decrease in glial fibrillary acidic protein, which supports cell processes in the brain.
“A decrease in GFAP has been associated with early stages of some neurodegenerative diseases, including mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as depression,” Ross shared.
“We were very surprised to see that the microplastics could induce altered GFAP signaling.”
As some states, including New York, move to ban certain plastics, research continues on its lasting effects.
Studies have found that microplastics make their way into the human heart and can be passed from pregnant women to their fetuses.
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