Scientists Find Environmental Plastics in Human Brains

Clinical relevance: New research suggests micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are accumulating in human brains, particularly in the frontal cortex, with concentrations rising by over 50% from 2016 to 2024.

The study, which used advanced techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, identified polyethylene as the most prevalent, especially in brain tissue.
The findings raise concerns about the health risks of long-term MNP exposure, potentially linking it to inflammation, cardiovascular issues, and neurological disorders.
Researchers urge further investigation into the health impacts of MNPs and stress the need to address the growing problem.

A new preprint research paper charges that plastics haven’t just made their way into human tissue. It’s starting to invade our brains, too.

The paper – still awaiting peer review – detailed the researchers’ efforts working with advanced pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) techniques to gauge micro- and nanoplastic (MNP) accumulation in human organs. The team found a startling increase in plastic particles in the brain, liver, and kidneys.

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A Startling Surprise

The University of New Mexico researchers worked with autopsy samples culled from the Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque in 2016 and again in 2024. The team sought to identify and quantify a dozen specific polymers in the human tissue samples.

The results showed that the brain, more specifically the frontal cortex, showed the highest concentrations of MNPs compared to the liver and kidneys. Worse still, the plastic levels in the brain jumped by more than 50% from 2016 to 2024.

Polyethylene, a common polymer, posed the biggest problem: The researchers found it in every they studied – more than any other plastic. But they found it much more often in the brain samples. Transmission electron microscopy corroborated the study’s findings by verifying the presence of nanoscale plastic particles, which normally appear as shard-like remnants.

Exploring the Implications of Plastics

These results raise questions about the health risks linked to long-term exposure to these plastic pests.

While scientists still wonder about how MNPs make their way into the human body – and spread throughout – it underscores the need for a more thorough investigation into the potential health issues involved.

This research project adds to an already mounting body of evidence that suggests that MNPs which can range anywhere between 500 micrometers to 1 nanometer, are practically omnipresent in today’s environment.

Earlier studies have tied MNPs to multiple health problems, such as increased inflammation and cardiovascular risks, especially when it starts cropping in the arteries. But this latest study appears to be the first to demonstrate MNP concentrations in human brains and how quickly they accumulate.

The study’s authors call for additional research to explore the long-term effects of MNPs on our health, and whether it plays a role in neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. The parallel between skyrocketing MNP concentrations and the growing prevalence of these diseases bears further investigation.

As the global production of plastics climbs, our exposure keeps climbing, too. And this research, the authors argue, should serve as a stark reminder of the need to address the growing problem of plastic pollution and how it threatens our health.