特別推薦：海外華人眼中的春節   2007年情人節特輯

我們常說飲酒有害身體健康，然而根據最新的醫學研究發現，每天適量飲酒可能會使患阿爾茨海默氏(早老性癡呆)或其它類型癡呆癥的危險減少一半，這又該作如何解釋呢？

Daily, moderate drinking could almost halve the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia, according to new research.

The finding adds to a growing body of evidence for the health benefits of moderate drinking, which is already known to protect against heart disease and stroke.

The study, published this week in The Lancet medical journal, also found that it doesn't seem to matter what people drink - the effect is the same.

Experts say moderation - between one and three drinks a day - is the key.

The adverse effect of excess alcohol is beyond question.

Researchers suggested the blood-thinning and cholesterol-lowering properties of ethanol in alcohol may ward off dementia, which is often caused by a blood vessel problem.

Another possibility, the study speculated, is that low levels of alcohol could stimulate the release acetylcholine, a brain chemical believed to facilitate learning and memory.

（北京林業大學通訊員邢元媛供稿 英語點津 Annabel 編輯）