Microplastics in oceans may increase disability risk among coastal populations
Key takeaways:
- U.S. coastal areas with greater levels of marine microplastics had higher rates of disabilities among residents.
- Specific disabilities included those related to memory, thinking, mobility and independent living.
Living along coastal areas in the United States that had higher levels of microplastics in the ocean was strongly associated with an increased risk for disability vs. living in coastal areas with lower levels, preliminary data show.
The full results will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting in San Diego from April 5 to April 9.
“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,” Sarju Ganatra, MD, cardiology specialist at Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, Massachusetts, said in a release related to the study.
Ganatra and colleagues investigated the associations between the presence of marine microplastic levels in ocean water and the prevalence of disabilities related to neurological function, mobility and overall independence for individuals who reside in coastal regions. Their cross-sectional study included 218 U.S.-based coastal-adjacent counties.
Compared with residents living in counties with low marine microplastic levels, the mean prevalence of disability was significantly higher among those living in counties with “very high” marine microplastic levels in terms of:
- thinking and memory (15.2% vs. 13.9%);
- mobility (14.1% vs. 12.3%);
- self-care (4.2% vs. 3.6%); and
- independent living (8.5% vs. 7.7%).
Following adjustments for confounding factors, data showed that counties with very high marine microplastic levels had higher rates of disabilities involving memory and thinking (9% increase), mobility (6% increase), self-care (16% increase) and independent living (8% increase) compared with those with low levels.
“The amount of plastic in different areas can vary due to ocean currents, which can carry and concentrate plastic in certain regions,” Ganatra said. “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.”
Reference:
Microplastics in ocean linked to disabilities for coastal residents. https://www.aan.com/PressRoom/Home/PressRelease/5236. Published Feb. 25, 2025. Accessed April 1, 2025.
Perspective
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We know that environmental factors like safe drinking water are important for health and that what we eat and drink impacts the health of our brains. This study from Ganatra and colleagues adds to our field's growing interest in the impact of higher concentrations of microplastics in ocean waters on brain health.
While the study's findings are intriguing, it is important to note we do not currently have a clear causal link between increased microplastics in ocean water and neurological diseases like dementia, and the study does not document important factors like how long patients with these problems have lived near these coastal waters, whether they recently moved there, or when their symptoms started.
Future studies can look more closely at these issues so that we can better understand the relationship between increased concentration of microplastics in ocean waters and neurological disorders.
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Ganatra S, et al. Marine microplastics levels and the prevalence of neurologic disability. Presented at: American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting; April 5-9, 2025; San Diego.
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