A new study finds that an active lifestyle may help protect against Alzheimer's-related brain changes in people who have a well-known genetic risk factor. This factor is the e4 allele (version) of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene.
一项新的研究表明经常运动能帮助那些有老年痴呆症遗传因素的人们降低患病风险。这种遗传因素是载脂蛋白Ee4等位基因。
"The presence of an APOE e4 allele is the most established genetic risk factor for Alzheimer disease, with a higher percentage of individuals with Alzheimer's disease having an e4 allele in comparison with the general population," the authors write in the article published online Jan. 9 in the journal Archives of Neurology. It's been suggested that the presence or absence of this gene variant might affect the relationship "between lifestyle factors such as exercise engagement and risk of cognitive decline and dementia," added researcher Denise Head and colleagues at Washington University, St. Louis.
“载脂蛋白e4等位基因的存在是患老年痴呆症的最大潜在威胁，患有老年痴呆症的人群跟普通人群相比，他们体内含有的e4等位基因比例更高。”该研究的作者在《神经学档案》1月9日的电子刊上如此说道，“据研究这种基因的存在与否可能会影响运动量等生活方式和认知功能下降及痴呆之间的关系。”研究员Denise Head及其圣路易华盛顿大学的同事们补充说。
They examined the association between exercise and amyloid deposits in the brain among 201 cognitively normal patients, ages 45 to 88, with and without the APOE e4 allele.
他们检测了201位45-88岁认知正常的病人，以了解运动和脑部淀粉沉积的关系。这些人有的体内含有载脂蛋白E的e4等位基因，有的人体内没有。
Deposits of amyloid protein in the brain have long been associated with Alzheimer's disease.
淀粉样蛋白沉积和老年痴呆症有很大关联。
Patients with an active lifestyle had less cerebral amyloid deposition than those with a sedentary lifestyle, the study found.
研究发现积极运动的病人大脑淀粉样蛋白的含量比那些久坐的人要少。
The researchers conclude that the presence of the APOE e4 gene "is associated with increased risk of cognitive decline and elevated amyloid deposition." But they add that, "exercise engagement has been associated with reduced risk of cognitive decline and lower levels of amyloid deposition."
该研究总结载脂蛋白E的e4等位基因的存在会使认知功能下降的风险提高，并增加淀粉样蛋白沉积量，但他们也补充说“积极运动可以减少认知功能下降的风险，并降低大脑淀粉样沉积蛋白含量”。
"In summary, our findings suggest that exercise at levels recommended by the AHA [American Heart Association] may be particularly beneficial in reducing the risk of brain amyloid deposition in cognitively normal e4-positive individuals," they concluded.
“总之，我们的研究认为美国心脏协会推荐的运动量对于e4等位基因阳性的认知正常病人降低脑部淀粉样蛋白沉积大有裨益。”研究人员总结说。