The Facts About 6 Common Alzheimer’s Myths关于阿尔茨海默病常见的六种误解

Alzheimer’s can be a terrifying diagnosis for families， especially when the causes of the disease and the effective ways to treat it remain a mystery to the medical community. Caregivers looking for answers are often forced to sift through tons of misinformation related to the disease to better understand it and how to care for their loved ones.

对家庭来说，有成员被诊断患上阿尔茨海默病可能是件可怕的事，特别是该病的病因和有效治疗方法仍然是医学界的未解之谜。寻求答案的护理人员常常不得不筛除与该病相关的大量错误信息，以更好地了解此病，了解如何照顾他们关爱的人。

From what causes Alzheimer’s to the foods that can prevent it， how genetics plays a role， and whether it can be treated， here are a few common beliefs about Alzheimer’s that need to be busted.

从阿尔茨海默病的成因到可以预防此病的食物、遗传学如何发挥作用，以及该病能否治愈，有些关于阿尔茨海默病的常见误解需要破除，详情如下。

Myth： Alzheimer’s and Dementia are two separate illnesses.

误解：阿尔茨海默病和痴呆是两种相互独立的疾病。

Fact： When we talk about degenerative illnesses like Alzheimer’s and dementia， there’s the tendency to treat them as two separate illnesses or to use the words interchangeably. Alzheimer’s and dementia are part of the same family—they both affect the brain in similar ways—but they’re distinct in their differences.

事实：当人们谈论像阿尔茨海默病和痴呆这样的退行性疾病时，往往将它们当作两种独立的疾病或将这两个词互换使用。阿尔茨海默病和痴呆同源——它们都以类似的方式影响大脑——但差异明显。

Dementia is a group of symptoms， but just calling something dementia doesn’t speak to the cause. There are a number of disease processes that can cause dementia. In other words， while Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia and therefore not a separate illness， the two terms shouldn’t be swapped in for each other. Just because someone has dementia， it doesn’t necessarily mean they have Alzheimer’s.

痴呆是一组症状，但仅仅称其为痴呆并不能解释其成因。许多疾病在发展过程中可能导致痴呆。换言之，虽然阿尔茨海默病是痴呆的一种而非不同的疾病，但这两个术语不应该互换使用。某人患有痴呆，并不一定意味着就患上了阿尔茨海默病。

Myth： Memory loss is always a sign of Alzheimer’s.

误解：记忆丧失就标志着患上阿尔茨海默病。

Fact： Recognizing the signs of Alzheimer’s can be tricky， but there’s no reason that misplacing your car keys or forgetting a doctor’s appointment should send you into a panic. A certain amount of memory loss is a normal part of aging and most of the time， Alzheimer’s-related memory loss is easier to recognize.

事实：阿尔茨海默病的征兆可能难以识别，但你没理由因为把车钥匙放错地方或忘记医生预约就陷入恐慌。一定程度的记忆丧失是衰老的正常表现，而多数情况下，与阿尔茨海默病有关的记忆丧失更容易识别。

Alzheimer’s always includes memory loss， but memory loss isn’t always the first sign. Oftentimes it is. Oftentimes， early on， people notice significant changes， especially in their short-term memory because the part of the brain that seems to be impacted first is the center of new memory and new learning.

阿尔茨海默病常常包括记忆丧失，但记忆丧失并不总是第一个出现的征兆。不过通常如此。通常在早期，人们会注意到明显的变化，尤其是短期记忆的变化，因为大脑中首先受到影响的部分似乎是新近记忆和学习的中心。

So， if you’re having trouble learning new skills， remembering what day of the week or month of the year it is， then there may be a bigger issue.

因此，如果你在学习新技能时遇到困难，记不起现在是周几或哪个月份，那问题可能就比较大了。

Myth： Alzheimer’s only affects the elderly.

误解：阿尔茨海默病只影响老年人。

Fact： The older we get， the scarier an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can become. That’s because， of the 5.7 million Americans currently suffering with the illness， 5.5 million are 65 and older. But the disease doesn’t just affect the elderly.

事实：年龄越大，确诊患上阿尔茨海默病可能就越可怕。这是因为，在目前患有这种疾病的570万美国人中，有550万人年龄是65岁及以上。然而，这种疾病并不仅仅影响老年人。

There are 200，000 people that we put in a category we call ‘younger onset’. These people get the onset of symptoms in their 40s， 50s， and early 60s. It’s rare， but it can happen.

有20万人被归为所谓“年轻发病者”。这些人在40多岁、50多岁和60岁出头就开始出现症状。这很罕见，但有可能发生。

Myth： Certain lifestyle changes can protect you from Alzheimer’s.

误解：生活方式的某些改变可以避免患上阿尔茨海默病。

Fact： Just like the people who believe certain factors can cause Alzheimer’s， there are people who think specific lifestyle changes can protect you from the disease. They’re not completely wrong. While certain vitamins and foods like blueberries， red onions， and even marmite won’t prevent an Alzheimer’s diagnosis， a healthy and active lifestyle can improve your chances of avoiding the disease.

事实：就像认为某些因素会导致阿尔茨海默病的那些人一样，也有人认为改变特定的生活方式可以避免患病。他们并非完全错误。虽然某些维生素和诸如蓝莓、红洋葱甚至马麦酱等食物对阿尔茨海默病没有预防作用，但健康和积极的生活方式还是可以降低患病几率。

Out of the top 10 causes of death in the United States， Alzheimer’s is the one that has no known prevention， cure， or even treatment that slows it down. But that said， there’s more and more evidence that there are lifestyle things we can do to give our brains the best chance of healthy aging.

阿尔茨海默病位列美国十大死因，其中只有该病没有已知的预防、治愈甚或延缓病情发展的治疗手段。话虽如此，有越来越多的证据表明，我们可以通过一些良好的生活方式为大脑提供健康衰老的最佳机会。

Things like eating a balanced diet full of healthy food like fruits and veggies， being physically active， and keeping your brain healthy as well.

诸如：采取富含水果和蔬菜等健康食品的均衡饮食，积极参加体育锻炼，以及保持大脑健康。

Participating in social activities may lower the risk for some health problems and improve well-being. Being cognitively active， whether it’s learning a new skill， language， or musical instrument; doing the crossword or other brain puzzles; or just enjoying a favorite hobby， may also benefit your brain.