As people age, cholesterol and fat gradually clog the walls of two large arteries carrying oxygen-rich blood to the brain.
Over time, depending on a person’s diet and other lifestyle choices, the carotid arteries can narrow to the point surgeons intervene by scraping out calcified gunk, called plaque, to reduce the risk of stroke and other diseases.
It turns out tiny bits of plastics pollution accumulated during this hardening of the arteries might increase the probability of future health problems.