精美英文欣赏:痴呆症的一种 Alzheimer's Disease(上)

About Alzheimer's Disease

关于阿尔茨海默氏病

Dementia is a brain disorder¹ that seriously affects a person's ability to carry out daily activities.

痴呆是一种大脑功能性失调，严重时会影响一个人的日常生活能力。

The most common form of dementia among older people is Alzheimer's disease (AD),which involves the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language.

老年人最常见的痴呆病是阿尔茨海默病(AD)，它牵扯到大脑中管理思想，记忆和语言的部位。

Scientists think that as many as 4.5 million Americans suffer from AD.

科学家认为有450万美国人患有这种痴呆病。

The disease usually begins after age 60, and risk goes up with age.

该病一般发病于60岁之后，发病的风险也会随着年龄的增加而增加。

AD is named after Dr. Alois Alzheimer, a German doctor. In 1906,

该病用一个德国医生，阿尔茨海默医生的名字来命名。1906年，

Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in the brain tissue of a woman who had died of an unusual mental illness.

阿尔茨海默发现了一位死于不常见精神病的女患者的脑组织发生变化。

He found abnormal² clumps³. Scientists also have found other brain changes in people with AD.

他发现了异常凝结。科学家还发现了患有该病的患者脑部的变化。

Nerve cells die in areas of the brain that are vital to memory and other mental abilities.

大脑中与记忆力和其他心理能力有关的部位里的神经细胞都死了。

Scientists do not yet fully⁴ understand what causes AD.

科学家还不能全面解释导致这种痴呆症的原因。

Age is the most important known risk factor for AD. Family history is another risk factor.

年龄是造成阿尔茨海默病最重要的一个已知因素。

Scientists believe that genetics may play a role in many AD cases.

研究者认为遗传可能是导致该病的一大原因。

Scientists still need to learn more about what causes AD. In addition to genetics, they are studying education, diet, and environment to learn what role they might play in the development of this disease.

科学家仍然需要懂得更多关于导致该病的原因。再者，在遗传学的角度上，他们正研究着教育、饮食和环境对于该病发生过程中的所能引起的影响。

1 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

2 abnormal   

adj.反常的，不正常的，不规则的

参考例句：

• This warm weather is abnormal for February.二月里这种温暖的天气不太正常。
• That is simply abnormal.那简直是反常的。

3 clumps   

n.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的名词复数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声v.（树、灌木、植物等的）丛、簇( clump的第三人称单数 )；（土、泥等）团；块；笨重的脚步声

参考例句：

• These plants quickly form dense clumps. 这些植物很快形成了浓密的树丛。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The bulbs were over. All that remained of them were clumps of brown leaves. 这些鳞茎死了，剩下的只是一丛丛的黃叶子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。