2023-11-19 23:05:01
▲ Research results have shown that nanoplastics affect the development of Parkinson’s disease and other diseases. (Photo = DB)
[메디컬투데이=조민규 기자] Research has shown that nanoplastics affect the development of Parkinson’s disease and other diseases.
Research results were published in ‘Science Advances’ showing that nanoplastics affect specific proteins found in the brain, contributing to the development of Parkinson’s disease and other diseases.
Parkinson’s disease is known to be a neurological disease with an increasing number of patients worldwide. Scientists estimate that more than 10 million people worldwide suffer from this disease. There is still no known cure for Parkinson’s disease, and it is thought to be caused by genetic factors, lifestyle, and environmental factors.
Nanoplastics are made by physically splitting discarded plastics into small pieces under the influence of photo-oxidation, weathering, ultraviolet rays, etc., and refer to materials with a size of less than 1m (micrometer). A study published in March 2022 found that people consume an average of regarding 5 grams of microplastics and nanoplastics each week.
Additionally, much research is being conducted on the effects of nanoplastics on our bodies. According to previous research, nanoplastics are also linked to cancer, and a study conducted in a rat model concluded that nanoplastics also affect the rats’ memory and cognitive abilities.
The researchers analyzed using three models: test tube, cultured neurons, and Parkinson’s disease mouse model. The study found that nanoplastics cause the accumulation of alpha-synuclein protein. Alpha-synuclein protein is a protein that helps in nerve transmission between brain cells, and accumulation of this protein is considered one of the main causes of Parkinson’s disease.
The researchers concluded that nanoplastics play a role in the development of Parkinson’s disease.
Medical Today Reporter Jo Min-gyu ([email protected])
[저작권자ⓒ 메디컬투데이. 무단전재-재배포 금지]
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