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Microplastics pose a massive threat to the brain: immune cells in blood vessels “eat” the plastic particles, clump together, and can trigger thrombosis.
Ubiquitous microplastics can be dangerous for the brain. A study on mice shows that immune cells in the blood vessels absorb the plastic particles. The heavy food makes the “scavenger cells” immobile; they can clump together, clog blood vessels, and possibly trigger thrombosis.
Microplastics are found in the world’s most remote regions, such as the Antarctic ice and the human body. According to estimates, we ingest up to five grams of plastic particles per week through the air, skin, mucous membranes, or contaminated food, reports ORF.
The tiny particles can get into the blood and thus into all organs. This could lead directly to functional disorders—for example, acute cardiovascular problems—and, in the long term, could promote the development of chronic diseases.
Chronic inflammation, respiratory diseases, and metabolic problems have long been associated with microplastics. The plastic particles could even promote the spread of cancer.
The tiny particles can also cross the blood-brain barrier. Animal studies show that tiny particles ingested from food packaging can be detected in the brain just two hours after ingestion.
The team led by Haipeng Huan from the University of Beijing writes in the journal Science Advances that the plastic particles could, therefore, have a neurotoxic effect on the brain, for example, triggering or worsening severe neurological diseases such as Parkinson’s.
The studies also showed effects on the behavior of the mice: the animals were slower, covered shorter distances, and lost weight. Therefore, the microparticles in the brain impair spatial orientation and motor skills.
However, the Chinese team emphasizes that the results cannot yet be directly transferred to humans. Humans and mice have completely different immune systems. The blood circulation cannot be compared either.
Elvira Mass from the University of Bonn expressed doubts about the animals’ immune reactions. This reaction is usually triggered by accumulated substances—allergens and toxins, for example—adhering to environmental plastic particles. “This actually makes them even more dangerous,” says Karten Grote from the University Hospital Giessen and Marburg.
- source: heute.at/picture: pixabay.com
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