Researchers at the University of New Mexico are shedding new light on vascular dementia, a common brain condition that hasn’t gotten as much attention as Alzheimer’s disease. Vascular dementia happens when small blood vessels in the brain get damaged, leading to cognitive problems like memory loss and confusion. Unlike Alzheimer’s, which involves plaques and tangles building up in brain tissue, vascular dementia stems from issues that starve brain cells of oxygen and nutrients.
The team’s big breakthrough? They created a fresh model to identify and classify the different types of vascular dementia. This could help doctors understand the disease better and develop more targeted treatments. “Conditions like high blood pressure, atherosclerosis, and diabetes often play a role,” explained Elaine Bearer, a professor at the university. But she pointed out that other factors, including the surprising presence of nano- and microplastics in human brains, are still a mystery.
Bearer says scientists have been “flying blind” when it comes to vascular dementia. The various blood vessel problems in the brain weren’t fully mapped out, and tiny plastics weren’t even on the radar because they were too small to spot easily. Their study, published in the American Journal of Pathology, pinpoints 10 key disease processes that damage the brain’s blood vessels. These include oxygen shortages, leaks of blood serum into brain tissue, inflammation, and poor waste removal—all of which trigger mini-strokes that kill off neurons.
To tackle this, the researchers recommend a mix of tried-and-true methods and cutting-edge tools, like special stains and advanced microscopy, to detect these hidden issues.
A growing worry is how nano- and microplastics might worsen brain health. “Nanoplastics are a new player in brain pathology,” Bearer said. This discovery could force experts to rethink everything they know about Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. Her findings show that people with dementia have far more plastics in their brains than those without, and the amount seems to match the severity and type of dementia. Plus, higher plastic levels link to more inflammation in the brain.
As awareness grows about microplastics and nanoplastics in our environment, this research highlights the urgent need to explore their impact on brain diseases like vascular dementia. It could pave the way for better prevention and care strategies down the line.
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