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Microplastics block blood flow in brain in mice: What a new study says

Although it is still unclear if plastics could cause similar blockages in humans, the new analysis is concerning as a growing body of research has found microplastics in nearly every part of the body, including lungs, testicles, bone marrow

View of a beach covered by plastic garbage on the island of Santa Luzia, Cape Verde. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

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A new study has revealed that microplastics — tiny plastic particles that measure less than 5mm in diameter — can block the flow of blood in the brains of mice. Although it is still unclear if plastics could cause similar blockages in humans, the new analysis is concerning as a growing body of research has found microplastics in nearly every part of the body, including lungs, testicles, bone marrow, etc.

The study, ‘Microplastics in the bloodstream can induce cerebral thrombosis by causing cell obstruction and lead to neurobehavioral abnormalities’, was published in the journal Science Advances last week.

How was the study carried out?

For their study, the researchers fed mice tiny bits of fluorescent polystyrene, a common form of plastic used to make appliances, packaging and toys. They then used a specialised microscope to trace the flow of plastic in mouse brains through a transparent window surgically implanted into the animal’s skull.

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What were the findings of the study?

Around three hours after the mice consumed polystyrene, scientists observed that the animal’s immune cells had ingested some plastic bits. “Further investigation suggested that immune cells known as neutrophils and phagocytes had ingested the bright plastic specks. Some of these cells probably got trapped in the tight curves of tiny blood vessels in an area of the brain called the cortex,” according to a report in Nature.

As these immune cells got stuck in blood vessels, the flow of blood was blocked, like it does in case of a clot. Some blockages eventually cleared, but others remained for days. This resulted in decreased mobility in the mice.

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Haipeng Huang, a biomedical researcher at Peking University (China) and lead author of the study, told Nature that “he and his team have seen similar obstructions form in mouse heart and liver, but results from these studies have not yet been published.”

A 2022 study, ‘Discovery and quantification of plastic particle pollution in human blood’, published in the journal Environment International, revealed that microplastics were in human blood. Experts estimate that the average person can eat, drink or breathe between 78,000 and 211,000 microplastic particles every year, according to a report by the World Economic Forum.