VOA常速英语:研究人员发现降低老年痴呆风险的秘密

Researchers have found that what’s good for the heart is also good for the brain.Physical activity, a healthy diet, these practices keep the heart pumping and blood flowing to the brain.Good blood flow keeps the brain functioning, and reduces the risk of dementia.
研究人员发现，对心脏有益的东西对大脑也同样有益。例如体育活动和健康饮食，这些都可以保持心脏收缩力以及血液流向大脑。良好的血液循环可以保证大脑正常运转，从而降低痴呆症的风险。

“Dementia is characterized by declines of memory and other cognitive functions, things like speech and the ability to plan and organize one’s day.”
“痴呆症的特点就是记忆力与其它认知功能下降，包括言语以及安排自己生活的能力。”

Dr. Kenneth Langa led a study that looked at more than 20,000 older adults to evaluate their risk for dementia.
肯尼斯.兰加医生曾做过一项研究，即对两万多名老年人进行观察，以评估他们患痴呆症的风险程度。

“We found that the prevalence of dementia declined significantly between 2000 and 2012,from about 11.5 percent down to about 9 percent.”
“我们发现，痴呆症的发病率在2000年到2012年间明显下降，大约从11.5%回落到9%左右。”

Langa says the decline is because of better treatments for high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity— treatments that keep the cardiovascular system healthy and lower incidents of stroke.He also says increases in the education levels have something to do with it.
兰加表示，痴呆症发病率之所以会下降，是因为针对高血压、糖尿病以及肥胖症等疾病，如今已经有了更好的治疗方法——这些治疗方法可以保持人们心血管系统健康，降低中风的几率。他还称，发病率下降与教育水平的提高也有关系。

A number of studies show increases in education reduce the risk of dementia.And in the U.S., people’s education levels rose over the past two decades.
诸多研究表明，教育水平的提高会降低痴呆症的风险。而在美国，人们的教育水平在过去的20年中也在不断提高。

“This suggests that a 75-year-old today has a lower risk of having dementia than a 75-year-old 10 or 20 years ago.”
“以上表明，当今社会一个75岁的老人，比起十几二十年前一个同样岁数的老人来说，罹患痴呆症的风险要小。”

Even without a breakthrough in medication or some kind of intervention that might decrease dementia,Langa says it appears there are things that can decrease the risk.He says more work still needs to be done to keep dementia trends declining.
即使我们在药物以及一些减少痴呆症的介入治疗方面无法取得突破，但兰加表示，似乎还有另外一些东西可以帮助人们来降低患痴呆症的风险。他又补充说道，要想继续降低痴呆症发病率，未来还有更多工作有待完成。

Carol Pearson, VOA news, Washington.
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