-1740653386.jpg "Henri Sannier: “I have a rare disease, but I wage war on a daily basis”")
Memory, mobility, or even inability to live in autonomy: the tiny particles of plastics present in the oceans could affect the validity of people living on the coastlines.
- A study conducted in several coastal areas of the United States shows an association between high levels of marine pollution with microplastics and larger disabilities among residents.
- “These results allow us to better understand how marine microplastics can affect brain health,” said Dr. Ganatra, one of the study authors.
- For the time being, additional research must be carried out to “explore this link more and examine the overall implications of microplastics on public health”.
The microplastics present in the oceans are a threat to marine organisms because these small plastic pieces – a size less than 5 mm – can be ingested by corals, plankton, marine invertebrates, fish and whales … And, without much surprise, it would also seem that man also has something to worry! In new works carried out in several coastal areas in the United States, researchers show an association between higher levels of plastic pollutants in water and a larger number of disabilities in the population. This study will be officially presented at the 77th annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology to be held from April 5 to 9.
Higher disabilities in the most polluted counties
“” “Our study revealed that in coastal communities where the levels of microplastics in water are higher, the disability rates are higher, which can affect the life of a person in many ways, especially in terms of thought and memory, movement and the ability to take care of itself and live independently”, Details Dr Sarju Ganatra From Lahey Hospital and Medical Center from Burlington, in Massachusetts.
To draw these results, the doctor and his colleagues have studied 18 coastal counties in the United States divided into 22 states. The levels of marine microplastics present on the surface of the ocean near these places were classified into four groups: from zero to 0.005 pieces of microplastic / m³ of sea water, from 0.005 to 1 piece / m³, from 1 to 10 pieces / m³ and 10 pieces or more / m³. Counties with very high levels had more than 1,000 pieces of microplastic / m³ of sea water, while those with low levels had less than 10.
The degree of incapacity of the inhabitants has also been meticulously studied and categorized according to memory and reflection, mobility, personal care and autonomous life.
Better understand how microplastics affect brain health
Concretely, and after adjustments of factors that can affect the disability rate (heart disease, stroke, depression, air pollution, distribution of wealth and resources), the results show that compared to counties with the lowest levels of marine microplastics, the inhabitants of counties with the highest levels present:
-An disability rate of 9 % higher in memory and thought;
-A invalidity rate of 6 % higher in mobility;
-A invalidity rate of 16 % higher in personal care;
-a disability rate of 8 % higher in independent life.
“” “These results allow us to better understand how marine microplastics can affect brain health”Said Dr. Ganatra. “” “Additional research is necessary to further explore this link and examine the overall implications of pollution by microplastics on public health.”Indeed, this research has several limits, in particular because the researchers have not followed the inhabitants of the coastal areas or the levels of marine microplastics over time.
