PLASTIC INVASION: Microplastics found in human brain tissue

In a revelation that sounds like a plot twist from a sci-fi movie, researchers have detected microplastics lurking in human brain tissue.

An international research team discovered traces of plastic pollution in the human olfactory bulb, the brain part responsible for processing smells.

Researchers examined samples from 15 deceased individuals and found microplastics in eight of them.

Freie Universität Berlin environmental engineer Luis Fernando Amato-Lourenco and others led the study, posting their findings in the JAMA Network Open.

ScienceAlert reported that microplastics might enter the brain through the cribriform plate beneath the olfactory bulb.

"While microplastics have been detected in various human tissues, their presence in the human brain has not been documented,” the researchers said.

The researchers are particularly concerned about the potential health risks of microplastics, though evidence linking them to direct adverse effects remains limited. 

The study identified particles and fibers as the most common microplastic shapes, mainly made of polypropylene, a widely used plastic.

The microplastics ranged in size from 5.5 to 26.4 micrometers, smaller than a quarter of the width of a human hair.

Some studies have hinted at harmful consequences, such as inflammation and cellular changes, but more research is necessary to understand the long-term implications.

“...reinforces the notion that the olfactory pathway is an important entry site for exogenous particles to the brain,” they wrote.

However, the United Nations Development Program says, “there is currently limited evidence to suggest microplastics are causing significant adverse health impacts," based on WHO analysis.

While many might believe that microplastics pose a threat to human health, experts actually have limited evidence connecting this pollutant to significant health effects.

It seems our brains are not just filled with thoughts, but now a bit of plastic as well.