日前,，一項(xiàng)新研究指出,，在鄉(xiāng)村地區(qū)出生并成長起來的人,，晚年患阿爾茨海默氏癥的幾率比生活在城市里的人要高兩倍多。研究人員將相關(guān)研究成果發(fā)表在《國際流行病學(xué)期刊》（International Journal of Epidemiology）上,。
雖然引起這一趨勢的原因尚不清楚,，但科學(xué)家表示，獲得衛(wèi)生保健的情況,，以及暴露于某些特殊物質(zhì)等因素,，可能在其中扮演了重要角色。
在英國,，阿爾茨海默氏癥影響了大約80萬人的健康,，并且隨著人口老齡化，患者數(shù)量到2050年還將翻一番,。
愛丁堡大學(xué)的一組研究人員調(diào)查了過去數(shù)十年中發(fā)表的51篇學(xué)術(shù)論文，分析了其中包含的來自全世界的12580人的醫(yī)療報(bào)告,，結(jié)果發(fā)現(xiàn),，總體來說，癡呆癥在農(nóng)村和城市居民中的發(fā)病率存在的差異并不大,，但是,，阿爾茨海默氏癥的發(fā)病率卻有著顯著的不同。
研究人員強(qiáng)調(diào),，兩組人群間差異的下降可能會(huì)與生活在城市里的各種福利有聯(lián)系,，而非與鄉(xiāng)村中的有害因素有關(guān)。但是,，要找出具體的原因還需要進(jìn)一步詳細(xì)地研究,，不過，衛(wèi)生保健體系,、社會(huì)經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)因素,、未知事物的影響等因素可能會(huì)起到一定作用。
英國阿爾茨海默氏癥研究專家Simon Ridley則表示,，該研究數(shù)據(jù)顯示了鄉(xiāng)村生活和阿爾茨海默氏癥發(fā)病幾率及普遍性之間的聯(lián)系,，但是，這些復(fù)雜的證據(jù)并不足以引起人潮涌入城市,。（生物谷Bioon.com）
doi:10.1093/ije/dys103
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Geographical variation in dementia: systematic review with meta-analysis
Tom C Russ1,2,3,*, G David Batty4, Gena F Hearnshaw5, Candida Fenton6 and John M Starr
Background Geographical variation in dementia prevalence and incidence may indicate important socio-environmental contributions to dementia aetiology. However, previous comparisons have been hampered by combining studies with different methodologies. This review systematically collates and synthesizes studies examining geographical variation in the prevalence and incidence of dementia based on comparisons of studies using identical methodologies. Methods Papers were identified by a comprehensive electronic search of relevant databases, scrutinising the reference sections of identified publications, contacting experts in the field and re-examining papers already known to us. Identified articles were independently reviewed against inclusion/exclusion criteria and considered according to geographical scale. Rural/urban comparisons were meta-analysed. Results Twelve thousand five hundred and eighty records were reviewed and 51 articles were included. Dementia prevalence and incidence varies at a number of scales from the national down to small areas, including some evidence of an effect of rural living [prevalence odds ratio (OR)?=?1.11, 90% confidence interval (CI) 0.79–1.57; incidence OR?=?1.20, 90% CI 0.84–1.71]. However, this association of rurality was stronger for Alzheimer disease, particularly when early life rural living was captured (prevalence OR?=?2.22, 90% CI 1.19–4.16; incidence OR?=?1.64, 90% CI 1.08–2.50). Conclusions There is evidence of geographical variation in rates of dementia in affluent countries at a variety of geographical scales. Rural living is associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer disease, and there is a suggestion that early life rural living further increases this risk. However, the fact that few studies have been conducted in resource-poor countries limits conclusions.
