Microplastics Found to Block Brain Vessels and Impair Function in Mice

New research reveals microplastics can obstruct blood flow in mice brains, raising concerns about potential risks to human neurological and cardiovascular health.

• Scientists used real-time imaging to track microplastics in mice brains, discovering they can block blood vessels and mimic the effects of clots.
• Mice exposed to microplastics showed reduced motor function and poor performance in memory tests, suggesting neurological impacts.
• The study highlights how immune cells absorb microplastics, creating irregular shapes that can lodge in small brain vessels and impede blood flow.
• Microplastics have been detected across the human body, and their accumulation is linked to health risks such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurotoxicity.
• Researchers caution that human brain vessels are larger than those in mice, and further studies using models closer to human physiology are needed to assess the risks.

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