For those passionately interested in the health of our planet and its inhabitants, including ourselves, the word “microplastics” has been hovering ominously in our environmental lexicon. If you’ve heard about microplastics but aren’t entirely sure of their significance, allow me to elucidate based on a recent scientific article.
The Issue with Microplastics
Every year, our world sees a surge of approximately 300 million tons of plastic production. Imagine, if you will, mountains upon mountains of plastic refuse. As time passes, environmental factors break these plastics down, not into nutritious or harmless substances, but into minuscule pieces, aptly named “microplastics.” These particles, so tiny you wouldn’t even notice, find their way into our water, our food, and consequently, our systems.
What are Polystyrene Microplastics?
Polystyrene, a prevalent type of plastic, is widely used for products ranging from disposable containers to insulation materials like styrofoam. Unfortunately, due to their frequent disposability, they often litter our environment.
The Study in Focus
In a groundbreaking study featured in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, Timothy Hua and his colleagues explored the potential harm polystyrene microplastics may pose to our brains, particularly during its development. The human brain, especially during its formative stages, is incredibly susceptible to environmental toxins.
Utilizing innovative techniques, the researchers used human induced pluripotent stem cells to create brain organoids, essentially a miniaturized version of the human brain, to examine the microplastic’s effect. These organoids simulate facets of the human brain’s functionality, offering an ethically viable method to study human brain development.
The Experiment
To give a clearer picture, imagine these stem cells as the ‘seedlings’ of a brain. The researchers nurtured these ‘seedlings’ into cells representing the brain cortex. They then exposed these organoids to varying concentrations and sizes of sterilized polystyrene microplastic particles.
A fascinating discovery was that 10-micrometer particles, which are about the same size as these cells, degraded into particles smaller than 2 micrometers after spending over 15 days in the cell culture. This suggests that the cells might absorb these particles, potentially affecting their internal workings.
Pertinent Findings
Between the 4th and 10th days of cell differentiation, microplastic exposure led to normal differentiation of neurons but increased cell division. On a molecular level, there were shifts in gene expression due to microplastic exposure. Of concern, long-term exposure (up to 30 days) resulted in a significant decrease in the number of live cells in the organoids.
Quoting directly from the researchers, “The results of quantitative and qualitative measurements in this study suggest that the size and concentration-dependent effects of polystyrene microplastics on developing forebrain cerebral spheroids may induce high intercellular/intracellular stress and adversely affect cortical layer differentiation.”
In Layman’s Terms
What this means for you and me is that these microplastics, depending on their size and concentration, might stress our brain cells, alter their normal functioning, and potentially reduce their lifespan.
Word of Caution
While this study provides invaluable insights, it’s essential to recognize its constraints. The environment the organoids were exposed to in the lab differs from the natural setting in which human brain development occurs.
The continued research into the adverse effects of microplastics is crucial, given the increasing presence of these particles in our environment. This study, spearheaded by experts like Timothy Hua, Sonia Kiran, Yan Li, and Qing-Xiang Amy Sang, takes a significant step towards understanding how microplastics may affect our health and well-being. However, further research is needed to cement these findings in the context of real-world human development.
Remember, awareness is the first step towards change. Now that you know, what steps will you take to mitigate microplastic exposure?
-A Balanced Brain is a Better Brain for a Happier Life-