Microplastics in drinking water affect the behavior and immune systems of mice.
- Microplastics, tiny particles with a diameter of less than 5 millimeters, are a growing concern for environmentalists and health professionals.
- Mice most exposed to microplastics showed increased movement and activity.
- In addition, changes were also observed in the expression of immune markers in their liver and brain.
While a study has just revealed that bottled water contains hundreds of thousands of plastic particles per liter, another search published in theInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences highlighted the surprising effects of these elements on mice.
Microplastics, tiny particles with a diameter of less than 5 millimeters, are a growing concern for environmentalists and health professionals. Previous studies have primarily focused on the harmful effects of these particles on marine life, showing that they cause oxidative stress, inflammation and decreased cell vitality. However, their impact on mammals, particularly at the cognitive and biological level, has so far remained largely unexplored.
Microplastics: the behavior and immune systems of mice studied
To fill this gap, the team of scientists chose to study how these particles could influence the behavior and immune responses of mice, in order to obtain information that could have broader implications for other mammals (including the man).
To test their hypotheses, the researchers conducted an experiment with two groups of 40 female mice. These mice were exposed to different concentrations of polystyrene microplastics placed in their water for three weeks. This exposure method was chosen to closely mimic how humans may encounter these particles in everyday life. The team used a series of behavioral tests to evaluate the animals and conducted an analysis of their tissues.
Microplastics can cross the blood-brain barrier
After combining all the data, the mice most exposed to microplastics showed an increase in their movements and activity. In addition, changes were also observed in the expression of immune markers in their liver and brain. Even more worrying, microplastics have been detected in various tissues, including the brain, revealing their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier.
However, the fact that the study focused only on female mice may limit the generalizability of these results to all sexes. Additionally, the research used a specific type of microplastics, meaning the results may not apply to all materials of the same type.
