7 Ways to Reduce Your Alzheimer’s Risk降低阿爾茨海默病患病風險的七因素

張燕/譯

Many cases of Alzheimers disease could potentially be prevented by certain lifestyle measures like quitting smoking and getting more exercise， according to a new report. The findings suggest， but do not prove， that people can take steps to reduce their risk of Alzheimers， a disease that affects more than 33 million people worldwide.

根據一份新的報告，通過生活方式的某些調整，如戒煙和增加運動等，許多例阿爾茨海默病或可預防。該研究結果表明，但并不證明，人們可以采取措施來降低患上阿爾茨海默病的風險，這種疾病影響著全球超過3300萬人。

“Given the current absence of disease-modifying treatments， as well as increasing awareness that symptoms develop over many years or even decades， there has been growing interest in identification of effective strategies for prevention of Alzheimers disease，” explained authors of the report， from the University of California， San Francisco. The findings were published online in The Lancet Neurology， a British medical journal.

來自加州大學舊金山分校的報告作者解釋道：“鑒于目前缺乏修正治療該疾病的藥物，以及越來越多的人認識到該病癥狀的發展可能持續很多年甚至幾十年，人們對找到預防阿爾茨海默病的有效策略越來越有興趣?！痹撗芯拷Y果發表在英國醫學雜志《柳葉刀-神經病學》網絡版上。

For the study， the authors examined the medical literature and identified seven lifestyle factors that may influence the risk of developing Alzheimers. They looked at stopping smoking， increasing physical activity and mental stimulation， controlling blood pressure and diabetes， and managing obesity and depression. Reducing all seven of these risk factors could prevent as many as 3 million cases of Alzheimers worldwide， they estimated.

為了進行這項研究，作者查閱了醫學文獻并確定了可能會影響阿爾茨海默病發病風險的7種生活方式因素。他們關注的內容包括戒煙、增加體育和腦力鍛煉、控制血壓和糖尿病，以及控制肥胖和抑郁。他們估計，降低所有這7個方面的風險可預防全球多達300萬例阿爾茨海默病。

It is uncertain whether any of these lifestyle factors actually promote the development of Alzheimers. Advancing age and genetics remain the most important risk factors for the disease. But numerous population studies suggest that all may play a role in Alzheimers onset. Heres what they found.

目前還不確定這些生活方式因素是否真會加速阿爾茨海默病的發展。年紀增長和遺傳仍然是該病最重要的風險因素。但大量的人口研究顯示，下列生活方式因素都可能對阿爾茨海默病的發病起到作用。以下是他們的發現：

Diabetes： Having diabetes has been linked to an increased risk of Alzheimers and other forms of dementia in several studies. More than 10 percent of older Americans have diabetes， so it is important to manage the condition properly， and to take steps to avoid getting diabetes in the first place. Lack of exercise and weight gain can both contribute to diabetes onset.

糖尿?。憾囗椦芯勘砻鳎加刑悄虿黾影柎暮Ｄ『推渌问桨V呆的風險。超過10%的美國老年人患有糖尿病，因此，適當控制病情及一開始就采取措施避免罹患糖尿病非常重要。缺乏運動和體重增加都可能導致糖尿病發病。

High blood pressure： Many studies suggest a link between heart health and brain health. Hypertension in middle age， for example， has consistently been linked to an increased risk for Alzheimers and other forms of dementia in old age. （In old age， on the other hand， low blood pressure has been linked to increased Alzheimers risk.） People who get treated for high blood pressure have also been shown to be less likely to have cognitive problems down the road.

高血壓：許多研究顯示，心臟健康與大腦健康之間存在聯系。例如，中年高血壓一直被認為會增加老年患上阿爾茨海默病和其他形式癡呆的風險。（另一方面，老年低血壓則與阿爾茨海默病患病風險升高有關。）高血壓得到治療的人后期出現認知障礙的可能性較低。

Obesity： Being overweight in midlife is associated with increased risk of Alzheimers in old age， numerous studies have shown. （In old age， on the other hand， low body weight is associated with increased dementia risk.） Obesity is a particular problem in the United States.

肥胖：多項研究表明，中年體重超重與老年罹患阿爾茨海默病的風險增加相關。（另一方面，老年體重超輕則與癡呆風險增加有關。）肥胖問題在美國尤其突出。

Depression： People with a history of depression have a two-fold increased risk of dementia compared to those who are not depressed. Getting good medical treatment for depression may improve cognitive function in some people. People who are depressed also tend to be socially withdrawn， and social connection has been shown to lower the risk of Alzheimers among seniors.

抑郁：相比沒有抑郁癥的人，有抑郁病史的人患癡呆的風險增加了一倍。妥善醫治抑郁癥可能會改善某些人的認知功能。抑郁癥患者往往還會比較孤僻，而加強社會交往已被證實可以降低老年人患阿爾茨海默病的風險。

Being sedentary： Physical inactivity has consistently been shown to be linked to an increased risk of Alzheimers disease. And staying active， whether its walking， jogging or ballroom dancing， may lower dementia risk. Healthy but sedentary older people who begin exercise programs show improvements in thinking skills.

久坐不動：缺乏活動一直被證明與阿爾茨海默病的患病風險增加有關。經常運動，無論是散步、慢跑還是跳交誼舞，都可能降低患癡呆的風險。身體健康但久坐不動的老年人開始實施鍛煉計劃后，思維能力也會有所改善。

Smoking： Recent studies report that smoking increases the risk of Alzheimers. Quitting smoking， in other reports， has been shown to lower the risk of developing dementia.

吸煙：最近的一些研究稱，吸煙會增加患阿爾茨海默病的風險。其他研究報告則指出，戒煙已被證明可以降低患癡呆的風險。

Low education levels and lack of mental stimulation： Theres good evidence that few years of formal education may increase the risk of Alzheimers disease. Mental stimulation—whether its doing crossword puzzles， learning a new language or playing a musical instrument—may help lower Alzheimers risk. Its possible that mental stimulation may enhance connections between brain cells and build up so-called brain reserve. As a result， if some brain cells are destroyed by Alzheimers， enough remain to delay the onset of symptoms.

低教育水平及缺乏腦力鍛煉：有充分證據表明，接受正規教育的年限少可能會增加患阿爾茨海默病的風險。刺激大腦——無論是做填字游戲、學習一門新語言還是演奏樂器——可能有助于降低阿爾茨海默病的患病風險。刺激大腦有可能增強腦細胞之間的聯系，并增加所謂的大腦儲備。這樣一來，即使部分腦細胞因阿爾茨海默病而受損，剩下的腦細胞仍足以延緩癥狀的發作。

The authors found that these seven risk factors may contribute to as many as half of Alzheimers disease cases worldwide. The findings are suggestive of lifestyle and health factors that may contribute to Alzheimers disease. Anything that may prevent or delay the onset of Alzheimers in old age could have a dramatic impact on the lives of millions of people and their families.

研究報告的作者發現，全球多達一半的阿爾茨海默病病例可能與以上7種風險因素相關。這些發現表明，生活方式和健康因素可能導致罹患阿爾茨海默病。任何可能預防或延遲老年阿爾茨海默病發病的因素都可能對數百萬人及其家庭的生活產生巨大影響。