ABQ Times

University of New Mexico neuropathologist Elaine Bearer has developed a new method to identify microplastics in brain tissue from dementia patients. Bearer discovered unusual brown structures while examining samples from two deceased dementia patients, which led her to suspect the presence of microplastics.

Pathologists often use stains to classify microscopic structures, but these substances resisted identification. A suggestion from colleague Natalie Adolphi led Bearer to collaborate with Matthew Campen, who specializes in extracting and quantifying microplastics in human tissue.

Microplastics form when plastic degrades over time, often through exposure to ultraviolet rays. These particles have become pervasive in the environment and have entered the human body. Campen's lab has found significant amounts of microplastics in stored human brains. When postdoctoral fellow Marcus Garcia tested tissue from the dementia patients' brains, he found about 20 grams of plastic—far more than typically seen.

Bearer confirmed that one patient had Alzheimer's disease while the other suffered from Binswanger’s disease. She conducted electron microscopy on purified plastics and noted they differed in shape and chemical composition compared to typical findings.

During a sabbatical at Caltech, Bearer used a confocal laser scanning microscope to expose plastic particles to various wavelengths of light until she identified one that caused them to fluoresce. This discovery allowed her to confirm that the brown spots were indeed microplastic fragments.

Bearer's findings have been shared with peers across the country, sparking discussions on whether an accumulation of plastics could trigger dementia symptoms or if those with dementia are less able to clear these particles.

While it is too early for definitive conclusions, Bearer plans further research using brain tissue from Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center studies. She hopes this work may eventually lead to diagnostic methods for living patients using magnetic resonance imaging.

The ADRC recently received full funding from the National Institutes of Health, providing new resources for dementia research in New Mexico and facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration among UNM Health Sciences researchers.

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