The impact of nanoplastics on neurons may depend on their size

Nanoplastics cause abnormal branch growth in neurons

Tiny pieces of plastic can enter brain cells and alter their physical development, with the smallest particles causing the most noticeable changes. New research reveals that while low levels of microscopic polystyrene plastics do not kill brain cells or stop them from communicating, particles measuring just 50 nanometers wide prompt nerve cell branches to grow abnormally long. These findings were published in the journal NanoImpact, raising new …

The impact of nanoplastics on neurons may depend on their size

Smaller plastic particles have more effects on neurons, the key information processing cells of the brain, new research from the University of Eastern Finland shows. In the study, neuronal cells were exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics at low doses to study subtle changes.