早年贪吃 晚年白痴

Scientists attribute the debilitating disorder to the gradual accumulation between brain cells of a toxic protein, beta-amyloid, that blocks the transmission of information from cell to cell, wipes out synapses, and disrupts basic neuron function, leading to cell death. Inflammatory processes are also involved in memory loss. 科学家们认为，造成大脑失调不断恶化主要原因是，脑细胞毒蛋白与β（贝它）淀粉样蛋白逐渐沉淀积聚，阻碍细胞间信息传递，使神经突触消失，神经功能下降，从而导致细胞死亡。在这病变过程中，同时也引起记忆损失。

The vast majority of Alzheimer's cases—over 99 percent—occur spontaneously; they are not linked to genetic factors. But they are linked to obesity. Researchers find that the same lifestyle choices that lead people to become obese or develop heart disease also increase the risk of developing dementia. 绝大多数老年痴呆症病患者（99%以上）是自然而然形成的，与遗传基因并无关系，但与肥胖有关。研究人员已经证实，肥胖和引发心脏病的生活方式给痴呆症疾病带来重大风险。

It comes down to this: Choices we make throughout life about what we put in our bodies may protect against Alzheimer's, or delay its onset. At the very least, says neuroscientist Gary Wenk, "We can slow down the time that it takes for someone to get symptoms." Professor of psychology, neuroscience, and molecular virology, immunology, and medical genetics at The Ohio State University, Wenk is author of the book Your Brain on Food. 研究得出结论：在我们整个人生中，选择正确的生活方式，每天吃些什么，能有效地预防老年痴呆症，或推迟它的发生。神经科学家加里 温克（Gary Wenk ）说，至少“可延迟痴呆症状出现。” 加里 温克是美国俄亥俄州州立大学心理学、神经科学、分子病毒学、免疫学和医学遗传学教授，是《大脑与饮食（Your Brain on Food）》一书作者。

Heading off dementia, he insists, starts with what we eat. Food should be thought of the same way as the drugs we put in our body. They're all made up of chemicals. Everything we consume prompts a reaction in the brain. Picking the right foods can minimize damage to neurons and preserve a healthy mind as you age. 他认为，我们预防痴呆症应从日常饮食开始。食物如同进入我们体内的药品一样，全是化学物质构成的。我们吃下所有食物都会在我们大脑产生反应。选择正确食物对我们年迈之后有助于降低大脑神经细胞的损坏，保护好我们大脑健康。