AccScience Publishing / BH / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/BH025350048
REVIEW ARTICLE

Microplastics and nanoplastics with co-contaminants: A comprehensive review of neurotoxic effects

Kirti Sharma1 Anju Sharma1* Pradeep Bhatnagar1
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1 Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, IIS (Deemed to be University), Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Brain & Heart, 025350048 https://doi.org/10.36922/BH025350048
Received: 29 August 2025 | Revised: 22 January 2026 | Accepted: 6 February 2026 | Published online: 29 April 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

The widespread accumulation of microplastics (MPs) and nanoplastics (NPs) in the environment, along with their capacity to adsorb and transport co-contaminants, raises increasing concern regarding potential neurotoxic effects. This review synthesizes recent evidence on the combined neurotoxicity of MPs/NPs with environmental co-contaminants, including heavy metals, phthalates, pharmaceuticals, and flame retardants. These contaminants interact with MPs/NPs to enhance bioavailability, facilitate translocation to neural tissues, and trigger adverse biological responses. Mechanistic pathways—including oxidative stress, disruption of neurotransmitter systems, neuroinflammation, and increased blood–brain barrier permeability—have been examined in various in vivo models, particularly fish and rodents. Notably, recent reports indicate that humans may ingest thousands of MP and NP particles annually, with some studies detecting up to 2,000 particles per gram in biological tissues, including the brain. These findings underscore the urgent need for a comprehensive assessment of the potential neurological risks associated with combined exposure to MPs, NPs, and co-contaminants. The synergistic and additive effects of combined exposures underscore the potential for impairments in cognitive, behavioral, and neurochemical functions. This review integrates cross-species evidence to identify key research gaps, including undefined dose thresholds for combined exposures, limited understanding of particle–contaminant interaction kinetics, and insufficient mapping of brain-region–specific vulnerabilities. This review underscores the need for integrated toxicological assessments and strengthened regulatory strategies to address these environmental threats, with particular attention to pharmacologically relevant neurotoxic mechanisms.

Keywords
Microplastics
Nanoplastics
Co-contaminants
Neurotoxicity
Oxidative stress
Endocrine disruptors
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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Brain & Heart, Electronic ISSN: 2972-4139 Published by AccScience Publishing