Nanoplastics

Micro- and Nanoplastics Linked to Parkinson’s and Dementia

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Experts say the new findings add to evidence linking plastics pollution to disease, urge political action to reduce environmental toxins.

Micro- and Nanoplastics Linked to Parkinson’s and Dementia

That plastic water bottle you regularly drink from could one day decompose into tiny particles that wreak havoc in your brain.

New research shows that nanoplastics—microscopic particles broken down from everyday plastic items—bind to proteins associated with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.

These stealthy nanoparticles have already infiltrated our soil, water, and food supply. Now, they may pose the next great toxin threat, fueling a wave of neurodegenerative disease.

Plastic Cups, Utensils Identified as Risk Factors

Polystyrene nanoparticles, commonly found in plastic cups and utensils, bind to alpha-synuclein, a protein linked to Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia, the new study from Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment and the Department of Chemistry at Trinity College of Arts and Sciences found. The plastic-protein accumulation was seen in test tubes, cultured neurons, and mouse models.

The most surprising finding was the tight bonds formed between the plastic and protein within neuron lysosomes, according to Andrew West, the study’s principal investigator. Lysosomes are digestive organelles within cells that use enzymes to break down waste materials and cellular debris.

“Our study suggests that the emergence of micro and nanoplastics in the environment might represent a new toxin challenge with respect to Parkinson’s disease risk and progression,” Mr. West said in a statement. This is especially concerning given the expected increase of these contaminants in our water and food, he noted.

Growing evidence indicates that nanoplastics circulate in the air, especially indoors. When inhaled, they can travel from the respiratory tract directly to the blood and brain, increasing cancer risk.

Change Environment Now to Prevent Disease Later: Expert

Our health today is largely a function of our environment in the past, Dr. Ray Dorsey, a professor of neurology at the University of Rochester in New York and author of “Ending Parkinson’s Disease,” told The Epoch Times.

NAC, Used for Vax Detox, Could Also Offer Parkinson’s Breakthrough

“For example, the risk of lung cancer is a function of our past smoking habits,” he said. “If we want to live lives free of Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and cancer in the future, we should pay attention to our environment today.”

The Duke study adds to evidence that common toxic pollutants may contribute to Parkinson’s disease, Dr. Dorsey said. While more research is needed, evidence from both laboratory and epidemiological studies suggests our environments are fueling a rise in Parkinson’s incidence.

“Much, if not most” of Parkinson’s cases may be preventable, he said.

Besides reducing our use of plastic, there are other effective precautions that we can take to limit our exposure to this environmental toxin, Dr. Dorsey pointed out. These include the following:

  • Using carbon filters to protect ourselves from chemicals in the water.
  • Purchasing organic food.
  • Thoroughly washing all fruits and vegetables.
  • Using air purifiers if living in areas with high air pollution.

Parkinson’s-Linked Pollutants, Pesticides Still Legal Despite Risks

Besides nanoplastics, other toxins have been linked to Parkinson’s, including organic pollutants known as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were banned in 1979 but are still found in 30 percent of U.S. schools. Researchers have found high concentrations of this pollutant in the brains of deceased people who had Parkinson’s.

“We need to know the full extent of this toxic threat in our classrooms so that we can test for PCBs, remediate it, and inform families that their students may be at risk of exposure to these dangerous chemicals,” Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) said in a statement.

Other toxins linked to Parkinson’s in our environment have yet to be removed from use. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has proposed bans on dry cleaning chemicals and pesticides associated with a 500 percent increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, but there has been no action yet.

Toxic Pesticides Harming Health but ‘Political Will’ Lacking

The EPA banned the pesticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) in 2021, but a court reversed that decision in November 2022. Research identifies CPF as a likely Parkinson’s disease risk factor.Another pesticide, paraquat, has allegedly been linked to Parkinson’s by its manufacturer Syngenta’s own research, according to a report by The Guardian. Chinese-owned Syngenta reportedly created a “paraquat SWAT team” to criticize evidence and shift focus to other environmental factors.

“We increasingly know that environmental toxicants from plastics from pesticides are harming our health,” Dr. Dorsey said. “Almost all of these are addressable; the only question is whether we have the political will to do so.”

Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events

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Abstract

BACKGROUND

Microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging as a potential risk factor for cardiovascular disease in preclinical studies. Direct evidence that this risk extends to humans is lacking.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective, multicenter, observational study involving patients who were undergoing carotid endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid artery disease. The excised carotid plaque specimens were analyzed for the presence of MNPs with the use of pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, stable isotope analysis, and electron microscopy. Inflammatory biomarkers were assessed with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemical assay. The primary end point was a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause among patients who had evidence of MNPs in plaque as compared with patients with plaque that showed no evidence of MNPs.

RESULTS

A total of 304 patients were enrolled in the study, and 257 completed a mean (±SD) follow-up of 33.7±6.9 months. Polyethylene was detected in carotid artery plaque of 150 patients (58.4%), with a mean level of 21.7±24.5 μg per milligram of plaque; 31 patients (12.1%) also had measurable amounts of polyvinyl chloride, with a mean level of 5.2±2.4 μg per milligram of plaque. Electron microscopy revealed visible, jagged-edged foreign particles among plaque macrophages and scattered in the external debris. Radiographic examination showed that some of these particles included chlorine. Patients in whom MNPs were detected within the atheroma were at higher risk for a primary end-point event than those in whom these substances were not detected (hazard ratio, 4.53; 95% confidence interval, 2.00 to 10.27; P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

In this study, patients with carotid artery plaque in which MNPs were detected had a higher risk of a composite of myocardial infarction, stroke, or death from any cause at 34 months of follow-up than those in whom MNPs were not detected.

Nanoplastics may help set the stage for Parkinson’s risk

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At a Glance

  • Scientists found that tiny plastic particles can enter nerve cells, impair breakdown of structures linked to Parkinson’s disease, and harm certain brain regions in mice.
  • The findings point to molecular links between plastics and Parkinson’s disease mechanisms that can be further explored through additional research.

Pile of used polystyrene packing material at waste dump.

The study findings give insight into how polystyrene waste may help contribute to Parkinson’s disease.

Parkinson’s disease and related dementias have been on the rise worldwide. These disorders are marked by an abnormal buildup of the protein alpha-synuclein in the brain. The factors leading to this buildup of alpha-synuclein are unknown. Research points to a potential role for environmental factors.

Small bits of plastic are widely found throughout the environment, including food and water supplies. Microplastics are plastic particles smaller than 5 mm in diameter—tinier than a sesame seed; nanoplastics are less than 1 μm, too small to be seen by the human eye. At least one previous study found that particles of polystyrene and other plastics can be detected in the blood of most healthy adults. Single-use polystyrene products—like plastic cups, utensils, and foam packing—are widespread environmental waste. But despite their ubiquity, the potential health consequences of these plastics are only beginning to be studied and understood.

Previous studies found evidence that alpha-synuclein’s activities can be affected by polystyrene and other particles. An international research team led by Dr. Andrew B. West of Duke University decided to take a closer look at the effects that nanoplastics might have on nerve cells and the brain. The scientists explored interactions between alpha-synuclein and polystyrene nanoplastics both in lab dishes and in mice. Results were reported on November 17, 2023, in Science Advances.

The researchers first showed that human alpha-synuclein binds readily to polystyrene nanoplastics in a test tube. This binding led to the formation of abnormal alpha-synuclein structures called fibrils, a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease and related dementias.

The scientists next examined how alpha-synuclein fibrils and nanoplastics behave with cultured brain cells, or neurons. They found that both the fibrils and the plastics can enter neurons via endocytosis, in which the cell’s outer membrane engulfs targeted items. Once inside, both the fibrils and the plastics entered the cell’s lysosomes, membrane-bound organelles that serve as cellular garbage disposals. The researchers found that nanoplastics disrupted lysosome activities, slowing the breakdown of harmful clumps of alpha-synuclein.

The team next looked at how polystyrene nanoplastics and alpha-synuclein interact in the mouse brain. They found that the nanoplastics and alpha-synuclein fibrils also interacted there, which increased the spread of abnormalities across interconnected brain regions. Neurons in the brain’s substantia nigra region were especially affected. This brain region helps to control movement and is damaged in Parkinson’s disease and related dementias.

Taken together, these findings point to previously unrecognized interactions that could contribute to Parkinson’s disease risk and progression. Further research is needed to study how these interactions affect disease development and whether other types of plastics have similar effects.

“Numerous lines of data suggest environmental factors might play a prominent role in Parkinson’s disease, but such factors have for the most part not been identified,” West explains. “Our study suggests that the emergence of micro and nanoplastics in the environment might represent a new toxin challenge with respect to Parkinson’s disease risk and progression.”