A completely new and unexpected mechanism of the negative effect of microplasty on the brain is open. It can lead to a violation of the brain, and in the long term – to its chronic diseases, including dementia. How is it possible?
They write a lot about microplastics now, they only recently began to actively study. Not everything is clear with him, but it is already clear that nanoplastics, these are the smallest particles of microplasty, can fall directly into the brain, overcoming the hematoencephalic barrier. This is a special structure that prevents the ingress of harmful substances from the blood into the brain. It is shown that in this way nanoplasty can lead to diseases of Parkinson, Alzheimer and other types of dementia (dementia).
The formation of blood clots was demonstrated by firsthand.
Researchers from China focused on larger particles of plastic. Thanks to this, they discovered a completely new mechanism of brain damage. We emphasize that we are talking about such large particles that cannot get into the brain because of their size. As microplastics performs its black business, scientists described in detail the famous journal Science Advances (“Scientific achievements”).
The experiment for modern medicine is simply unique. As in old good research, all negative effects here are shown personally – visualized. We are talking about specific thrombi arising in small vessels of the brain in mice. The mechanism of their development is universal, and it is difficult to expect that a person will not have exactly the same processes.
Macrophages eat microplastics and get stuck in the vessels
What have the scientists proved? First, particles of microplasty are absorbed by phagocytes. The name of these cells is very eloquent: the phagos according to ancient Greek means “devour”, and cytos is “cage”. And these cells of the immune system really devour waste, toxins and … microplastics. They cannot digest it, they do not have enzyme systems for this, and apparently, they feel not very well inside him. It seems that because of this “indigestion” the cells may change somewhat.
Researchers have found that phagocytes create micro-micothromba, clogging small vessels. The researchers directly observed them in the cerebral cortex. But it seems that this effect can be in other organs. Just watching them in an experiment on living animals is much more difficult.
These blood clots are not quite ordinary, strictly speaking, this is precisely the blockage of the smallest vessels with large and changed macrophages. Researchers have shown that more than 5 microplasty particles in size of about 5 μm are more strong than others – not the smallest.
Scientists watered rats with a drink with microplastics
The investigation was explored by the roofs of microplasty water in the same concentrations as we get ourselves. That is, in fact, the process of receiving microplasty into our body was reproduced. Something as if we drink tea in plastic bags. Of course, we also get it from other sources – it is in drinking water, is released into products from packaging, can fall from medical plastic devices used in treatment, etc. But, probably, the most standard and frequent path of introducing microplasty is drinking water and tea.
And now imagine that after a drink with a micropalistic, the effect of blockage of blood vessels began after about 30 minutes. And it lasted until seven days or more. Then the blood flow was restored, but its blockade led to changes in the nervous system. Scientists have proven that the mice became more lethargic, coordination was disturbed (this is all due to the work of the brain, not muscle weakness). They also had a memory and a state appeared that these animals consider the equivalent of human depression. All this suggests that such chronic brain lesions associated with insufficient blood flow can cause any age -related diseases, including dementia.
Scientists believe that studies in this direction need to be activated, and of course, it is necessary to study the effect not only on the brain, but also on other organs. Especially on the heart, since the data that microplastics increases the risk of heart attacks.
What to do to us? The simplest thing is to start drinking tea in the old fashioned way, brewing it in a kettle, and not in bags. This is not difficult. Still, of course, you need to reduce the use of plastic in cooking. Especially when the plastic contacts hot water and food. The amount of microplasty, which is released in this case, increases significantly.
Source: aif.ru