The plastic pollution crisis just got personal. A new study from the University of New Mexico reveals an unsettling truth: microscopic plastic particles are accumulating in human brains at significantly higher concentrations than in other organs – and these levels have surged 50% in just eight years.
Scientists examining postmortem brain tissue found microplastic concentrations were about 12 times higher than those in the liver or kidney. Even more concerning, brain samples from individuals with dementia contained up to ten times more plastic than those without the condition, though researchers emphasize it’s too early to determine if microplastics contribute to the disease.
“This really changes the landscape. It makes it so much more personal,” says lead researcher Matthew Campen, Distinguished and Regents’ Professor at UNM’s College of Pharmacy, in a statement.
Hellbound and Down 