Micro (and nano) plastics are a Public Health Emergency of International Concern – well according to me anyway – new research “in vivo” in mice ..suggests it causes brain and other vital organ damage
From here:
Received: 11 July 2023 / Revised: 24 July 2023 / Accepted: 25 July 2023 / Published: 1 August 2023
From the Discussion section:
“.. it is evident that PS-MPs can travel to and exert detrimental effects on the brain after absorption. Further studies are needed to dissect the underlining molecular mechanisms of such an effect.
One possibility proposed by Lee et al. is that neurotoxic effects of PS-MPs may depend on the vagal-pathway-dependent gut–brain axis; however, other mechanisms including the impairment of blood detoxification pathways in the liver cannot be excluded.
Several studies have indeed suggested that the ability of a toxin to reach the brain may be in part due to liver dysfunction, since the liver is a major site of blood detoxification. If the liver is unable to properly function, this can lead to toxin build-up in the blood [44], which may ultimately reach the brain. Similarly, hepatic failure or injury may result in increased BBB permeability [45,46].
Thus, we investigated whether PS-MPs induced an inflammatory response in the liver from young and old mice in our study and found an approximately two-fold increase in the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokine
TNF-α in both young and old PS-MP-exposed mice, as compared to controls (Figure 8A). Additionally, in older PS-MP-exposed mice, there was a 3-fold increase in S100a8 mRNA expression and a 4.5-fold increase in S100a9 mRNA expression (Figure 8B,C).”
The study also found a tendency of all subject mice to want to gravitate towards the centre whilst not being sensitive to light and dark.
The research is covered by Dr Mercola here:
Microplastics May Be Harming Your Body and Brain (mercola.com)
And by Sci-Tech Daily here:
Dr Mercola summarises the issue as below:
“STORY AT-A-GLANCE
Discarded plastic — both large and microscopic — circles the globe, choking our oceans and polluting our food supply, ultimately finding their way into your body where they can accumulate over time
Scientists have detected microplastic in all kinds of human tissues, including the placenta, lungs, spleen, liver, kidney, heart, brain and stool. In 2022, Dutch scientists also confirmed the presence of microplastics in meat and milk, as well as the blood of both farm animals and humans
Austrian researchers found plastic microparticles migrate into the brains of mice within two hours of drinking water contaminated with microplastic. Once in the brain, these plastic microparticles can increase the risk of inflammation, neurological disorders or neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Other recent research found it can trigger behavioral changes akin to dementia in as little as three weeks
Microplastics are toxic to cells. Research shows microplastic particles enter cells within 24 hours of exposure and primarily accumulate around the nucleus of the cell. As levels of microplastics and exposure time increase, cell viability significantly decreases
Chinese scientists discovered microplastics in the heart tissue of 15 patients undergoing cardiovascular surgery, and some of this plastic appears to be introduced during the surgery itself”
Sci-Tech Daily opined:
“HOMEHEALTH NEWS
Startling Findings – Scientists Discover That Microplastics Could Be Changing Your Brain
By UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND AUGUST 31, 2023
Microplastic on Finger
New research has found that exposure to microplastics led to behavioral changes and immune alterations in mice, particularly older ones. The study discovered that microplastics accumulated in multiple tissues, including the brain, and may contribute to conditions similar to dementia.
The study indicates a potential risk for serious health consequences, such as Alzheimer’s disease.
Microplastics, a highly prevalent form of plastic pollution, have infiltrated air, water, and food chains globally. Despite the widespread acknowledgment of their adverse effects on the environment and marine life, there has been a lack of research on their potential health consequences for mammals. This gap in knowledge led Jaime Ross, a professor at the University of Rhode Island, to initiate a new study.
Ross and her team focused on neurobehavioral effects and inflammatory response to exposure to microplastics, as well as the accumulation of microplastics in tissues, including the brain. They have found that the infiltration of microplastics was as widespread in the body as it is in the environment, leading to behavioral changes, especially in older test subjects.”
Now if only there was a World Health Organisation and health authorities in countries around the world who could identify real health issues from pollution and come up with appropriate regulations – regulations that improved health outcomes rather than destroyed the health of the world’s population.
Onwards!
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The microplastics are a huge, under-reported REAL problem that we should all be working together to solve. I am purging plastics from my kitchen and looking for more ways to stop contributing to plastic waste, but the scale of the problem is so vast, it needs to be addressed worldwide.
That's why they are really called
the 'world hell organization'!!