Studie verbindet die mikroplastische Exposition gegenüber Alzheimer-Krankheit bei Mäusen: Mikro- und Nanoplastik gelangen durch Wasser, Lebensmittel und sogar die Luft, die wir atmen. Sie infiltrieren alle Systeme, einschließlich des Gehirns, wo sie Alzheimer-ähnliche Bedingungen ansammeln und auslösen, eine neue Mausmodellstudie.

I’ve linked to the press release in the post above. In this comment, for those interested, here’s the link to the peer reviewed journal article:

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2515-7620/adf8ae

From the linked article:

**URI study links microplastic exposure to Alzheimer’s disease in mice**

**Micro- and nanoplastics prevalent in the environment routinely enter the human body through water we drink, foods we eat, and even the air we breathe. Those plastic particles infiltrate all systems of the body, including the brain, where they can accumulate and trigger Alzheimer’s-like conditions**, according to a new study by researchers in the University of Rhode Island College of Pharmacy.

Ross’ latest study, published recently in the journal Environmental Research Communications, examined mice that had been genetically modified to include the naturally occurring gene APOE4, a strong indicator of Alzheimer’s risk making people 3.5 times more likely to develop the disease than those who carry the APOE3 variant of the gene that is passed from parents to offspring.

To find out, Ross and her team exposed two groups of mice—one with the APOE4 variant and one with APOE3—to micro- and nanoplastics in their drinking water over a period of three weeks. The tiny particles from polystyrene—among the most abundant plastics in the world, found in Styrofoam take-out containers, plastic cups and more—infiltrated the mice’ organs, including the brain, as expected. The research included a control group from each APOE designation did not receive microplastic exposure.

Ross’ team then ran the mice through a series of tests to examine their cognitive ability, beginning with an open-field test, in which researchers put a mouse in a chamber and allow it to explore at will for 90 minutes. Ordinarily, a mouse will hug the walls, naturally attempting to hide from potential predators. However, after microplastic exposure, the APOE4 mice—especially the male mice—tended to wander more in the middle of the chamber and spend time in open space, leaving themselves vulnerable to predators.