評論
打印
So what happens when amyloid plaques accumulate to this tipping point?
所以當淀粉樣斑塊積累到臨界點后會發生什么？
Our microglia janitor cells become hyper-activated, releasing chemicals that cause inflammation and cellular damage.
我們的小神經膠質細胞變得過度活躍，釋放出導致炎癥和細胞損傷的化學物質。
We think they might actually start clearing away the synapses themselves.
我們認為這可能會清除突觸本身。
A crucial neural transport protein called "tau" becomes hyperphosphorylated and twists itself into something called "tangles,"
一種叫做tau蛋白的神經轉運蛋白變得過度磷酸化,并轉化成叫做神經纖維纏結的物質，
which choke off the neurons from the inside.
從內部阻塞了神經元。
By mid-stage Alzheimer's, we have massive inflammation and tangles and all-out war at the synapse and cell death.
在老年癡呆癥的中期，我們會面臨大量的炎癥和神經纖維纏結、突觸處的全面戰爭以及細胞的凋亡。
So if you were a scientist trying to cure this disease, at what point would you ideally want to intervene?
如果你是一位想要治愈該病的科學家，最佳介入時機是什么時候呢？
Many scientists are betting big on the simplest solution: keep amyloid plaques from reaching that tipping point,
許多科學家賭在了最簡單的解決方法上：避免淀粉樣斑塊達到臨界點，
which means that drug discovery is largely focused on developing a compound that will prevent, eliminate, or reduce amyloid plaque accumulation.
也就意味著藥物研發很大程度上聚焦于研發一種可以預防、消除或是減少淀粉樣斑塊積累的化合物。
So the cure for Alzheimer's will likely be a preventative medicine.
所以老年癡呆癥的治療方法很有可能是一種預防性的藥物。
We're going to have to take this pill before we reach that tipping point,
我們需要在臨界點到達之前，
before the cascade is triggered, before we start leaving our keys in the refrigerator.
在連鎖反應產生之前，在我們把鑰匙落在冰箱前服用這種藥物。
We think this is why, to date, these kinds of drugs have failed in clinical trials
我們認為這也是迄今為止這類藥物在臨床試驗上失敗的原因，
not because the science wasn't sound, but because the people in these trials were already symptomatic.
并不是因為科學技術不夠可靠，而是因為在臨床試驗的人們都已是老年癡呆的患者。
It was too late. Think of amyloid plaques as a lit match.
這就為時已晚。試想淀粉樣斑塊是已經點燃的火柴。
At the tipping point, the match sets fire to the forest.
在臨界點后，火柴的火引燃了整片森林。
Once the forest is ablaze, it doesn't do any good to blow out the match.
一旦森林起火，吹滅火柴早已于事無補。
You have to blow out the match before the forest catches fire.
你需要在火柴引燃森林前就把火柴熄滅。
