Scientists have been warning the world about microplastics in our air, oceans and food for some time now, but these tiny invaders have found their way into a more troubling hiding place: the human body.

A recent study published in Nature Medicine discloses autopsy results that sound alarm bells on the potential impact of microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) on our health.

Researchers from the University of New Mexico Health Sciences in Albuquerque, examined postmortem samples from a variety of organs including kidneys, liver and the brain from 2016 to 2024.

The team discovered that the comparison of liver and brain samples throughout the time period showed significant increase in MNP concentration. And the proportion of polyethylene in the brain was 75 percent higher than that of the liver and kidneys.

The results suggest an increasing trend in plastic contamination over time. Further tests of dementia cases revealed even higher levels of MNP accumulation, in particular within immune cells and along blood vessels, underscores a need for continued research into the health implications of MNP accumulation.

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