Microplastics found at higher concentrations in the brain

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00:00The human body is widely contaminated by microplastics, but a study shows they're accumulating in

00:06the brain at an alarming rate.

00:09Researchers in New Mexico looked at tissue from dozens of postmortems between 1997 and

00:152024 and found that the concentration of microplastics had increased by 50% since 2016 and was much

00:22higher in the brain tissue.

00:26Microplastics are broken down from plastic waste and can be found across the planet.

00:31People consume the tiny particles via food, water and by breathing them in.

00:36The most common type of plastic found in the study was polyethylene, which is used in plastic

00:40bags and food packaging.

00:43Given the exponentially rising environmental presence of micro and nanoplastics, this data

00:49compels a much larger effort to understand whether they have a role in neurological disorders

00:53or other human health effects.

00:56A separate study published in 2024 found that the brains examined were made of 0.5% plastic,

01:03but the scientists haven't been able to determine whether microplastics are harmful to the human

01:07body.

01:08Recent studies are just beginning to suggest they could increase the risk of strokes and

01:12heart attacks, but researchers have expressed the need for caution when interpreting the

01:17results of these studies, which have so far been conducted on a very small scale.

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