A preliminary study released on February 25, 2025, suggests a potential link between marine microplastics and a higher risk of disabilities among people living in coastal areas with high plastic pollution. The research, which will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 77th Annual Meeting (April 5–9, 2025), examined disabilities related to memory, thinking, mobility, and self-care.
While the study does not confirm that microplastics cause disabilities, it identifies a significant association between exposure and increased risk.
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Microplastics are tiny plastic particles, less than 5 millimeters in size, that contaminate oceans and seas. They originate from degraded plastic waste, as well as consumer products like face scrubs, fishing nets, food wrappers, and takeout containers.
This research highlights growing concerns about plastic pollution’s impact on human health, emphasizing the need for further studies to understand its long-term effects.
“The environment can play a crucial role in our health, and factors such as pollution may impact a person’s risk of developing cognitive decline and other neurological disabilities,” said Sarju Ganatra, MD, of Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts. “Our study found in coastal communities with higher levels of microplastics in the water, there were higher rates of disabilities that can affect a person’s life in many ways through thinking and memory, movement and their ability to take care of themselves and live independently.”
The study looked at 218 coastal counties in the United States across 22 states.
Researchers looked at marine microplastic levels across the counties, sorting them into four groups based on marine microplastic levels in the nearby ocean surface. Counties in the low group had zero to 0.005 microplastic pieces per cubic meter (pieces/m³) of ocean water, the medium group had 0.005 to one pieces/m³, the high group had between one and 10 pieces/m³ and the very high group had 10 or more pieces/m³. On average, counties with very high levels had more than 1,000 microplastic pieces/m³ of ocean water, while those with low levels had fewer than 10.
They then looked at the amount of disability among residents in these categories: memory and thinking, mobility, self-care and independent living. Self-care disabilities include difficulty performing activities such as dressing, bathing or getting around inside the home. Independent living disabilities include difficulty performing tasks such as managing finances, shopping or using transportation.
“These findings provide insights into how marine microplastics might affect brain health,” Ganatra said. “More research is needed to explore this connection further and examine the overall public health implications of microplastic pollution.”
Ganatra also noted, “The amount of plastic in different areas can vary due to ocean currents, which can carry and concentrate plastic in certain regions. Other factors, like population density, local waste management, and industrial activities, may also play a role. The reasons are complex and likely involve multiple environmental- and human-related factors working together, but this relationship needs further investigation to be fully understood.”
