A new rat study exploring the effects of microplastic exposure on the brain suggests that chronic microplastic exposure can harm brain health and damage nerve cells, PsyPost reported.
One of the most common ways that microplastics enter the human body is through ingesting contaminated water or food, according to the Penn State Institute of Energy and the Environment. When humans eat contaminated seafood, such as fish that have ingested microplastics from the surrounding environment, microplastics quickly accumulate in the body. This has consequential effects on the brain and the body's related systems.
A new study, published in the Molecular Neurobiology journal, shows that rats that are exposed to microplastics for a prolonged period have a compromised blood-brain barrier, increased oxidative stress, and declined nerve cell health.
The study's authors devised an experiment that spanned three weeks and six weeks, observing 80 rats split between two control groups and two experimental groups -- one of each per three-week and six-week period.
All the groups received double-distilled water every day. However, the experimental groups were also exposed to a dose of 10 milligrams per kilogram body weight of low-density polyethylene microplastics each day. These LDPE microplastics reflect the tiny particles of plastic more common in shallower sea levels, where the kinds of surface-feeding fish humans consume tend to live.
"The results indicated that the integrity of the blood-brain barrier was significantly compromised in the rats exposed to LDPE microplastics, after both three and six weeks of exposure," the PsyPost report read. In addition to a compromised blood-brain barrier, exposed rats showed higher levels of oxidative stress and reduced levels of the protein crucial for neuronal growth, function, and survival.
While the study authors disclaim that microplastic exposure in rats does not necessarily reflect the true and observed behaviors in the human body, "the results ... emphasize the need for further research to address their possible health risks," the study authors concluded, per PsyPost.
Whether created intentionally or as the result of larger plastic products breaking down into smaller particles, microplastics are harmful to human health, wildlife, and natural habitats. Studies have confirmed that microplastics are linked to liver fibrosis and lipid buildup, increased risk of stroke and heart attack, as well as disruptions to hormone systems.
In marine life, microplastics can delay growth and development, interfere with reproduction, and compromise the immune system, making it harder for marine life to fight off diseases, according to the National Ocean Service.
Found in natural habitats, such as bodies of water, the soil, and even the air, microplastics continue to circulate in the environment, causing harm to all living things within it.
The dangers of microplastic pollution highlight the importance of addressing this critical climate issue at its root. Using less plastic daily can reduce global consumer demand for harmful materials that threaten the health and well-being of communities, wildlife, and the planet.
Scientists are also developing innovative solutions to limit the negative impact of microplastics.
Companies such as Clarify Clinics are refining technology that can filter out microplastics from the blood. Other companies are innovating solutions to deal with the microplastic material itself, attempting to turn this challenging material into higher-value and more durable materials, such as graphene.