Microplastics are infiltrating brain tissue, studies show: ‘There’s nowhere left untouched’ 

Posted on August 23, 2024 by DrRossH in Plastic Waste News

Twenty-four brain samples collected in early 2024 measured on average about 0.5% plastic by weight

Source: Microplastics are infiltrating brain tissue, studies show: ‘There’s nowhere left untouched’ | Pollution | The Guardian

The researchers found that 24 of the brain samples, which were collected in early 2024, measured on average about 0.5% plastic by weight.

“It’s pretty alarming,” Campen said. “There’s much more plastic in our brains than I ever would have imagined or been comfortable with.”

The study describes the brain as “one of the most plastic-polluted tissues yet sampled”.

The pre-print brain study led by Campen also hinted at a concerning link. In the study, researchers looked at 12 brain samples from people who had died with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. These brains contained up to 10 times more plastic by weight than healthy samples.