A new study finds microplastics can block the flow of blood in the brains of mice. The study comes on the heels of other research showing, for the first time, that microplastics can lodge in human brains.
For the new study, scientists fed mice tiny bits of fluorescent polystyrene, a form of plastic commonly used in packaging. They then used a specialized microscope to trace the flow of plastic, viewing mouse brains through windows installed in the animals’ skulls.
Researchers could see that mouse immune cells had ingested some plastic bits. Full of polystyrene, these immune cells piled up in blood vessels, blocking the flow of blood, similar to a clot, researchers said. Some blockages cleared, but not all, and for a few days blood flow dropped off. The mice appeared slower and less coordinated than their counterparts who had not been fed plastic, according to the study, published in Science Advances.
While it is not clear whether plastics could cause similar blockages in humans, the new findings are concerning as a growing body of research reveals microplastics in nearly every part of the body, including lungs, testicles, bone marrow, and according to a recent study, the brain. And other research in mice has shown that plastic can damage brain cells and cause inflammation.
While scientists are just beginning to parse how microplastics impact human health, experts say that people can limit their exposure to plastic by avoiding foods packaged in single-use plastic and eschewing clothing made of synthetic fibers.
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