Conceptual Model Linking Night Shift Work, Circadian Disruption, and Microplastic Exposure as a Proxy Risk Indicator for Dementia

This manuscript proposes a conceptual framework integrating night shift work, circadian rhythm disruption, metabolic dysregulation, and microplastic exposure as a proxy marker for neurodegenerative risk. The model does not assert microplastics as a single causal factor but positions environmental microplastic burden as an exposure indicator reflecting complex environmental and occupational risk pathways. This work aims to stimulate hypothesis-driven research and interdisciplinary discussion in environmental health, occupational epidemiology, and neurodegenerative disease research.