The Microplastics in Your Brain May Be Causing Mental Health Issues

Image by Getty / Futurism Neuroscience/Brain Science Each of our brains is swimming in enough microplastics to form a plastic spoon, scientists discovered earlier this year. Since then, medical researchers have been scrambling to understand how that could affect our neurological health. Now, ominous data is starting to trickle in, with new research comprising four papers published in the journal Brain Medicine suggesting that microplastics could be contributing to rising rates of depression, dementia, and other mental health ailments across the globe. And for exposing us to these brain-invading microplastics, a clear culprit emerged in the work: ultra-processed foods, or junk food, which make up a huge part of many Americans' diets. "We're seeing converging evidence that should concern us all," said Nicholas Fabiano from the University of Ottawa, who led one of the studies, in a statement about the work. "Ultra-processed foods now comprise more than 50 percent of energy intake in c ... Read full article.