'We need to change our habits'
The Cool Down••health
Key Points:
- A study published in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry reveals that microplastics may trigger cellular changes linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's by causing inflammation, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial dysfunction in brain cells.
- Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney and Auburn University found that microplastics weaken the blood-brain barrier, leading to immune activation and further damage, which are key factors in cognitive decline.
- The findings raise concerns about long-term microplastic exposure potentially increasing the risk or severity of neurodegenerative disorders, especially for communities with higher pollution exposure near industrial and waste-processing sites.
- Experts call for stronger efforts to reduce plastic production, enhance environmental monitoring, and develop technologies to remove microplastics from water, alongside individual lifestyle changes
