The Daily News – May 29, 2025

Here’s a shocking headline from Medscape. There’s a sandwich bag of plastic in our brains. Today we’re talking about a disturbing new study published in Nature Medicine that found people’s brains are just loaded with microplastics. In fact, the brain has higher plastic concentrations than any other organ, and that’s especially unsettling because the brain is supposed to be protected by the blood brain barrier. But how does plastic even get in? Well, it turns out that the barrier blocks larger plastic particles. But lets in nanoplastics these tiny, invisible pieces that accumulate over time. What kind of plastic are we talking about? Well, mostly the stuff in shopping bags, plastic water bottles, and food containers. And what’s really alarming here is the study found that levels of plastic found in human brains had been increasing over the years. What was the only factor that determined how much plastic was in a person’s brain the year they died? The more recent the death, the more plastic they found in people who had dementia before they died. Plastic levels were even higher, raising big questions about whether microplastics contribute to cognitive decline. So does this mean that plastics are directly causing dementia? Well, scientists aren’t sure yet. It could be that dementia weakens the blood-brain barrier, allowing more plastics in. But either way, this study is a complete wake up call. The Medscape article discussing this research also referenced other studies on plastic exposure and suggested some ways people can cut down on their intake of microplastics. So here are three of their top suggestions. Ditch plastic water bottles. Studies show bottled water drinkers in just tens of thousands more plastic particles per year than those who drink tap water. Don’t microwave food in plastic containers. The heat can cause plastics to leach into your food and limit exposure to plastic fibers in the air. Use an air purifier and vacuum frequently to reduce dust from carpets and synthetic fabrics. At the end of the day, plastic is everywhere, and it’s getting into us. Maybe future generations will look back at us the way we look at the Romans who use lead cutlery. So the question is, what are you going to do to limit your exposure to plastic? And what are you already doing? If you found this information helpful, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit that notification bell for more updates. As always, thank you for joining us on The Daily News, and we will see you next time.