Brush your teeth -- postpone Alzheimer's

刷牙-可延缓阿兹海默症

Credit: © VadimGuzhva / Adobe Stock

上海译锐翻译        2019-6-17     14:49

You don't only avoid holes in your teeth by keeping good oral hygiene, researchers at the University of Bergen have discovered a clear connection between gum disease and Alzheimer´s disease.

保持口腔卫生不仅可以避免出现龋齿。根据卑尔根大学研究人员的发现，牙周病和阿兹海默症之间有明显的联系。

The researchers have determined that gum disease (gingivitis) plays a decisive role in whether a person developes Alzheimer´s or not.

研究人员发现，牙周病（牙龈炎）对于一个人是否患上阿兹海默症具有决定性的作用。

"We discovered DNA-based proof that the bacteria causing gingivitis can move from the mouth to the brain," says researcher Piotr Mydel at Broegelmanns Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen (UiB).The bacteria produces a protein that destroys nerve cells in the brain, which in turn leads to loss of memory and ultimately, Alzheimer´s.

卑尔根大学临床科学系Broegelmanns 研究实验室的研究人员-Piotr Mydel表示：“通过DNA，我们证实，引起牙龈炎的细菌可以从口腔移动至脑部。”细菌会产生一种蛋白质，这种蛋白质会破坏脑部的神经细胞，并从而导致记忆缺失并最终引起阿兹海默症。

Brush your teeth for better memory

刷牙可以改善记忆力

Mydel points out that the bacteria is not causing Alzheimer´s alone, but the presence of these bacteria raise the risk for developing the disease substantially and are also implicated in a more rapid progression of the disease. However, the good news is that this study shows that there are some things you can do yourself to slow down Alzheimer´s.

Mydel指出，单单是细菌并不会引起阿兹海默症，但是这些细菌有让病程加速的风险并使病情发展迅速。尽管如此，该研究还表明，你自己也可以通过某些方法来延缓阿兹海默症。

"Brush your teeth and use floss." Mydel adds that it is important, if you have established gingivitis and have Alzheimer´s in your family, to go to your dentist regularly and clean your teeth properly.

Mydel表示：“刷牙并使用牙线。如果你已经有牙龈炎并且家族里有阿兹海默症史，刷牙并使用牙线很重要。请定期看牙医并充分清洁牙齿。”

New medicine being developed

新的药物正处于研发阶段

Researchers have previously discovered that the bacteria causing gingivitis can move from the mouth to the brain where the harmful enzymes they excrete can destroy the nerve cells in the brain. Now, for the first time, Mydel has DNA-evidence for this process from human brains. Mydel and his colleagues examined 53 persons with Alzheimer´s and discovered the enzyme in 96 per cent of the cases.According to Mydel, this knowledge gives researchers a possible new approach for attacking Alzheimer´s disease.

研究人员此前发现，引起牙龈炎的细菌会从口腔移动到脑部。在脑部，细菌会分泌出有害的酶会可以破坏脑部的神经细胞。Mydel首次通过DNA在人脑中发现这一过程。Mydel和他的同事们对53位阿兹海默症患者进行检查并在96%的病例中发现酶。根据Mydel的说法，这一发现让研究人员有可能想到一种对付阿兹海默症的新办法。

"We have managed to develop a drug that blocks the harmful enzymes from the bacteria, postponing the development of Alzheimer´s. We are planning to test this drug later this year, says Piotr Mydel.

Piotr Mydel表示：“我们设法研发一种可以阻止细菌分泌有害酶的药物，并从而延缓阿兹海默症的进展。我们计划在几年晚些时候对该药物进行测试。”

需要了解的词汇：

Alzheimer's：阿兹海默症

Gum disease：牙周病

Gingivitis：牙龈炎

文章来源：科学日报，编辑：质控部Susan