Microplastics Found in Human Brain Tissue

Microplastics were confirmed in human brain tissue for the first time in 2025, with concentrations 7-30 times higher in dementia patients than controls, according to a Nature Medicine study. Conducted by teams at the University of New Mexico and Duke University, the research raises urgent neurological health questions about global plastic pollution. The finding prompted the WHO to fast-track a global health assessment, with dementia patients showing concentrations 20x higher than the average brain sample. It is 50% more impactful than #3's environmental focus, directly linking plastic to cognitive decline.