牙齒和眼睛不健康的人更易老年癡呆
科學家指出，看牙醫、檢查眼睛、儘量避免咳嗽和感冒可預防癡呆。
They say regular check-ups and staying as healthy and active as possible lessen the chance of developing Alzheimer’s disease and similar conditions in later life.
他們指出，常規體檢並儘可能保持健康和積極的心態可降低以後患老年癡呆症和相同症狀的可能性。
Researchers have identified a range of illnesses, aches and pains that all increase the risk of the condition including arthritis, poor eyesight, broken bones and even badly fitting dentures.
研究人員已檢驗出一系列的疾病、疼痛不適等都會增加患病的風險，例如關節炎，近視，骨折，不適合裝假牙等。
Although on their own, the complaints would only increase the risk very slightly, someone suffering a range of health problems could be twice as likely to get dementia.
儘管自身疾病增加患病的風險很低，有些人遇到健康問題而患老年癡呆的機率是兩倍。
Canadian scientists looked at how eyesight, hearing, arthritis, coughs and colds, dental problems, diabetes and high blood pressure affected a person’s chances of developing Alzheimer’s and related conditions.
加拿大科學家觀察視力、聽力、關節炎、咳嗽、感冒、牙齒問題、糖尿病和高血壓是如何影響一個人患老年癡呆及相關病症的機率的。
They claimed that a normal, healthy person has an 18 percent chance of getting the disease at some point in their life.
他們指出一個正常健康的人在他的一生中的某個階段患這種病的機率是18%。
But this risk goes up by 3.2 percent for every illness or complaint that affected them.
但當他們患病或併發症時這種機率會增加3.2%。
The findings published in the journal Neurology are further evidence that a healthy lifestyle may help prevent dementia.
發表在神經學期刊上的研究進一步證實了健康的生活方式可預防老年癡呆。
Previous research has shown high cholesterol, heart problems, obesity and smoking all increase the risk.
之前的研究表明高膽固醇、心臟病、肥胖症和吸菸都會增加患病風險。
Scientists believe that the condition may be triggered by poor circulation to the brain which causes damage to blood vessels and cells.
科學家認爲引發的條件可能是由於大腦的血液循環不良造成血管和細胞受損。
But experts say that although some complaints such as arthritis, poor eyesight and hearing were unavoidable, regular trips to the doctor and dentist could help lessen the risk of dementia.
但是專家說，有些症狀例如關節炎、近視和聽力問題是不可避免的，定期去看醫生和牙醫可能有助於減少患老年癡呆症的風險。
Dr Marie Jackson said: ‘We know that people with reduced fitness and reduced mobility are significantly more likely to develop Alzheimer’s.
Marie Jackson博士說，“我們知道身體不健康或減少流動性的人明顯更有可能換老年癡呆。
‘So it’s very important to try and maintain fitness and health at whatever standard you are able.’
因此，無論在哪種水平試圖保持健美的身體和健康是非常重要的。
Rebecca Wood, of Alzheimer’s Research UK, said: ‘This large study has turned up some intriguing and unexpected results, and it will be important to see whether follow-up studies have similar findings.
英國老年癡呆研究者Rebecca Wood說，“這次大型研究出現了一些負責和未預料的結果，這對於觀察後期研究是否有類似結果是很重要的。”
