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erronis

(18,162 posts)
Thu Feb 6, 2025, 07:55 PM Feb 6

Disturbing Discovery: Human Brains Are Filling Up With Microplastics, and It May Be Causing Dementia

https://scitechdaily.com/disturbing-discovery-human-brains-are-filling-up-with-microplastics-and-it-may-be-causing-dementia/



Microplastics are accumulating in human brains at alarming rates, with concentrations rising 50% in the past eight years. Researchers found plastic fragments as small as 200 nanometers, possibly interfering with brain function.

Researchers at the University of New Mexico Health Sciences have found microplastics in human brains at significantly higher concentrations than in other organs. Their study also reveals that plastic accumulation in the brain has increased by 50% over the past eight years.

Microplastics—minute fragments of degraded polymers present in air, water, and soil—have been accumulating in the human body for the past half-century. These particles have been detected in various organs, including the liver, kidneys, placenta, and testes.

Now, University of New Mexico Health Sciences researchers have found microplastics in human brains, and at much higher concentrations than in other organs. Worse, the plastic accumulation appears to be growing over time, having increased by 50% over just the past eight years.

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Disturbing Discovery: Human Brains Are Filling Up With Microplastics, and It May Be Causing Dementia (Original Post) erronis Feb 6 OP
Kick. It is all through the food chain too. bronxiteforever Feb 6 #1
Hell....handbasket.... Lulu KC Feb 6 #2
That is frightening but it's odd that Progressive dog Feb 6 #3
Yes - we still don't understand the mechanism that leads to AD and then to dementia erronis Feb 6 #4
It would be interesting to know pscot Feb 6 #5
there was an article a few years ago that reported the micoplastics... Javaman Feb 7 #6
This, like heavy metals may explain our national pride in our stupidity. NNadir Feb 7 #7
Next up: Putting lead additive back into gasoline erronis Feb 7 #8
been aware of microplastics for a long time NJCher Feb 8 #9

Progressive dog

(7,428 posts)
3. That is frightening but it's odd that
Thu Feb 6, 2025, 08:19 PM
Feb 6

dementia incidence has declined if any dEmentia is caused by plastics in the brain.
Conclusion: Dementia incidence declined over the past four decades, but AD incidence did not decline. Further research, especially from non-Western countries, is needed to elucidate the mechanism underlying the trends in dementia and AD incidence over time.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31220336/

erronis

(18,162 posts)
4. Yes - we still don't understand the mechanism that leads to AD and then to dementia
Thu Feb 6, 2025, 08:45 PM
Feb 6

Thanks for that reference. I do follow PubMed (used to work on it).

pscot

(21,044 posts)
5. It would be interesting to know
Thu Feb 6, 2025, 11:48 PM
Feb 6

if this is uniformly distributed. Are people in some regions more vulnerable than others? Are there "safe"zones?

Javaman

(63,444 posts)
6. there was an article a few years ago that reported the micoplastics...
Fri Feb 7, 2025, 08:34 AM
Feb 7

we were going through the blood brain barrier.

it didn't a huge leap of faith to connect that with dementia, autism and the rise of sociopathy in our society.

erronis

(18,162 posts)
8. Next up: Putting lead additive back into gasoline
Fri Feb 7, 2025, 04:45 PM
Feb 7

and removing all restrictions on lead in paints, etc. Hell, why not have radium faces on our digital watches, too?

NJCher

(39,220 posts)
9. been aware of microplastics for a long time
Sat Feb 8, 2025, 02:17 AM
Feb 8

I grow about 70% of my own produce and I carefully process water. If you boil the water, you reduce the microplastics by about 98%, I think the figure I read said.

The microplastics still might get into my produce through watering, but I think I cut it back substantially.

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