TED演讲:和老年痴呆症说再见(2)

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　　Here's a picture of two neurons connecting. 这是一张两个神经元连接的图。

　　The point of connection, this space circled in red, is called the synapse¹. 连接的部位，也就是红色圈出的这块，叫做突触。

　　The synapse is where neurotransmitters are released. 突触是神经递质释放的场所，

　　This is where signals are transmitted, where communication happens. 这是信号传送、交流的场所。

　　This is where we think, feel, see, hear, desire ... and remember. 这是我们思考、感受、视听、欲望和记忆的场所。

　　And the synapse is where Alzheimer's happens. 而突触也正是老年痴呆发病的地方。

　　Let's zoom² in on the synapse and look at a cartoon representation of what's going on. 让我们把突触放大，看一则动画演示。

　　During the business of communicating information, in addition to releasing neurotransmitters like glutamate into the synapse, 在信息沟通的过程中，除了释放谷氨酸等神经递质到突触，

　　neurons also release a small peptide called amyloid beta. 神经元还释放了一种名为β淀粉样蛋白的小肽。

　　Normally, amyloid beta is cleared away metabolized by microglia, the janitor³ cells of our brains. 正常情况下，β淀粉样蛋白在新陈代谢时会被清除，由我们大脑的看护细胞小神经胶质细胞处理。

　　While the molecular⁴ causes of Alzheimer's are still debated, 尽管分子层面引发老年痴呆的原因还争论不休，

　　most neuroscientists believe that the disease begins when amyloid beta begins to accumulate. 大多数神经学家相信β淀粉样蛋白的累积引发了老年痴呆。

　　Too much is released, or not enough is cleared away, and the synapse begins to pile up with amyloid beta. 释放了太多，或者是未能完全清理，突触因此便开始堆积β淀粉样蛋白。

　　And when this happens, it binds⁵ to itself, forming sticky aggregates⁶ called amyloid plaques⁷. 若这一事件发生，突触逐渐束缚了自己，产生一种叫做淀粉样斑块的黏糊糊的聚合体。

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