Does an Apple a Day Keep Dementia Away?

一天一苹果真的预防痴呆么？

Apples have been as not only a delicious fruit, but also as an effective way to improve your health. Research suggests that eating apples can benefit your heart, your teeth, and your energy level. Eating a higher amount of fruits and vegetables in general has also been associated with a lower risk for chronic¹ diseases including coronary heart disease, asthma², diabetes³, cancer and perhaps even Alzheimer's disease.

苹果不仅因其美味倍受热捧，而且对健康有十分有利的影响。研究表明多吃苹果让你心好，牙好，精神好。一般说来，多吃蔬菜水果能降低罹患冠心病、哮喘、糖尿病、癌症和老年痴呆等慢性病的风险。

So, is it true that apples are a super fruit? Do they impact the health and functioning of your brain? The research is limited, but it does show some promise.

那么，苹果真的是万能水果么？它们真的能影响大脑健康和机能么？关于这方面的研究虽然有限，但的确被证明有一定可能性。

A Review of 3 Research Studies

回顾三项相关研究

The Effect of Apples on Memory

苹果对记忆的影响

One study published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease involved older mice who were fed a deficient⁴ diet. These mice then demonstrated a decline in their cognitive⁵ ability shown by poor performance in navigating⁶ a maze⁷. However, after apple juice was added to their drinking water for a month, their memory was restored and they were able to efficiently⁸ navigate⁹ the maze again. (Often, research on mice translates to humans, which would suggest that apple juice may improve our memory.)

一项发表于《阿兹海默症期刊》的课题研究了一组年老的老鼠在食物摄取量不足的条件下的行为。在迷宫测试中，这些老鼠表现欠佳，显示出认知能力的下降。然而，把苹果汁加到老鼠的食谱里一个月后，它们的记忆力恢复到原来的水平且又能走出迷宫了。（对老鼠进行的研究常能反映到人类身上，也就是说，苹果汁也能提高我们的记忆力）

How Do Apples Affect the Actual Health of the Brain?

苹果是如何影响大脑的实际健康的？

A second study found that the actual brain structure was affected¹⁰ in mice whose drinking water included apple juice. The mice's brains were examined and found to contain a decreased level of beta amyloid protein, as compared to the brains of mice whose drinking water had not contained apple juice. The accumulation and excess of this protein in the brain is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease.

第二项研究发现喝了加有苹果汁的水会影响老鼠的实际大脑结构。研究证明，饮用加苹果汁的水的老鼠，其大脑所含β-脑内淀粉样蛋白少于不加苹果汁的水的老鼠。而这种蛋白在脑内的积聚和过剩是阿兹海默症的显著特征。

Will Eating an Apple Right Before a Test Help You Perform Better?

在考试前吃个苹果会让你表现更佳么？

A third study tested the immediate¹¹ effects of apples and spinach¹² (both separately and together) and found no change in the cognitive functioning of the participants right after eating the foods. The study did not, however, measure if a sustained diet that included apples affected cognition or risk of dementia over time.

第三项研究检验了吃完苹果和菠菜（分别吃和同时吃）是否有立竿见影的效果，发现刚吃完蔬菜水果后，参加者的认知能力并没有改变。然而这项研究并未检测长期将水果纳入膳食对认知能力或痴呆症病发几率的影响。