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Micro- and nanoplastics alter electrophysiological brain patterns and reshape human neurodevelopmental trajectories
Poynter CL, Sánchez-Carbonell M, Kendall RL, Garcia MA, Machado de Melo D, McPeck RN, Mirita C, Brown JM et al.. bioRxiv, 2026-09-24
Topic: Air pollution and environmental exposures
Environmental microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) are emerging contaminants that accumulate in human tissues, including the brain, yet their mechanistic impact on the nervous system remains poorly understood. Converging postmortem evidence indicates increased MNP burden in brains from individuals with dementia, suggesting a potential link between plastic accumulation and disorders of the nervous system. However, whether MNPs directly contribute to brain aging and ensuing neurodegenerative processes, or disrupt neurodevelopment, is unknown. Here, we show that exposure to environmentally relevant MNPs induces cellular senescence and innate immune transcriptional programs in human brain organoids. Using region-specific cortical organoids, we demonstrate that synthetic polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), as well as environmental ocean-derived MNPs (eMNPs) isolated from the coast of Hawaii, elicit a robust neuroinflammatory response. Transcriptomic analyses revealed activation of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) pathways. MNP exposure further disrupted neurodevelopmental trajectories, impairing neuroectodermal differentiation and redirecting lineage commitment toward mesoderm-like states, with concomitant enrichment of choroid plexus-like populations and a marked imbalance in neuronal and glial differentiation. These developmental alterations occurred in parallel with a pro-inflammatory and senescent microenvironment, suggesting coordinated disruption of developmental and aging programs. Importantly, high-density multielectrode array recordings revealed that MNP exposure altered electrophysiological activity and neuronal network dynamics, demonstrating that MNP-driven perturbations translate into dysfunctional neurological outcomes. Collectively, our findings identify MNPs as potent disruptors of human neurophysiology, linking plastic exposure to altered developmental trajectories, cellular senescence, neuroinflammation, and impaired neuronal network activity, providing mechanistic insights into how plastic accumulation may contribute to impaired brain dynamics.
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APA 7th
Poynter, C. L., Sánchez-Carbonell, M., Kendall, R. L., Garcia, M. A., Machado de Melo, D., McPeck, R. N., et al. (2026). Micro- and nanoplastics alter electrophysiological brain patterns and reshape human neurodevelopmental trajectories. bioRxiv. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.18.752710
Vancouver
Poynter CL, Sánchez-Carbonell M, Kendall RL, Garcia MA, Machado de Melo D, McPeck RN, et al. Micro- and nanoplastics alter electrophysiological brain patterns and reshape human neurodevelopmental trajectories. bioRxiv. 2026. doi:10.64898/2026.09.18.752710.
BibTeX
@article{poynter2026-fce6816e,
author = {Poynter, C. L. and Sánchez-Carbonell, M. and Kendall, R. L. and Garcia, M. A. and Machado de Melo, D. and McPeck, R. N. and Mirita, C. and Brown, J. M. and others},
title = {{Micro- and nanoplastics alter electrophysiological brain patterns and reshape human neurodevelopmental trajectories}},
journal = {bioRxiv},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.64898/2026.09.18.752710},
url = {https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.09.18.752710}
}
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Key findings
- Transcriptomic analyses revealed activation of senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) pathways.
- Importantly, high-density multielectrode array recordings revealed that MNP exposure altered electrophysiological activity and neuronal network dynamics, demonstrating that MNP-driven perturbations translate into dysfunctional neurological outcomes.
- Collectively, our findings identify MNPs as potent disruptors of human neurophysiology, linking plastic exposure to altered developmental trajectories, cellular senescence, neuroinflammation, and impaired neuronal network activity, providing mechanistic insights into how plastic accumulation may contribute to impaired brain dynamics.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 16/100
Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. It scored 21 on the same rubric, but non-peer-reviewed sources are capped at 16, so it shows as 16. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 13 of the 62 points we could judge it on, which is 21 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 2 / 10 | Tier 4 — not a peer-reviewed journal (bioRxiv) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | Not a journal article, so the journal's record does not count |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 4 / 10 | Preprint — not yet peer-reviewed. Hosted on a preprint server. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 13 / 62 | Scored on 12 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 13 of the 62 points we could judge it on is 21 out of 100. |
| Total | 21 / 100 | Capped to 16 because this is not a peer-reviewed article. |
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