研究顯示 三手煙損傷大腦和肝臟

Third-hand smoke exposure can cripple your brain and liver, affecting your mannerisms, increasing your risk of neurodegenerative diseases, and ruining your metabolism. That is according to a study by researchers at the University of California, Riverside who saw significant health issues in people within a month of exposure to smoke.

美國加利福尼亞大學裏弗賽德分校的一項研究顯示，三手煙可能損傷人類的大腦和肝臟，影響行爲舉止，增加患神經系統退行性疾病的風險，破壞新陳代謝。研究人員發現，人在三手煙中暴露一個月會出現明顯的健康問題。

The research team analyzed how people were affected by inhaling smoke from another person's clothing, hair, home, or car.

該研究小組分析了從他人衣物、頭髮、房屋或汽車中吸入三手煙對人體產生的影響。

In previous studies on mice, the same scientists showed third-hand smoke can cause type 2 diabetes, hyperactivity, liver and lung damage, and wound-healing complications. Now, they have shown they can even see an impact on brain and liver tissues.

這些科學家們此前對老鼠進行的研究發現，三手煙可以引發2型糖尿病、多動症、肝肺損傷以及傷口癒合併發症。現在，他們證明了三手煙甚至會對大腦和肝臟組織產生影響。

'Our goal was to determine the minimum amount of time required to cause physiological changes in mice when they are exposed to THS (third-hand smoke), using an exposure system that mimics human exposure,' said lead author Manuela Martins-Green.

該研究論文的第一作者曼紐拉·馬丁斯-格林稱：“我們模擬了人類接觸三手煙的環境，讓小鼠暴露在其中，以確定導致小鼠發生生理變化所需的最短三手煙接觸時間。”

'We found that THS exposure as early as one month resulted in liver damage. THS exposure for two months resulted in further molecular damage, and at four to six months caused even more such damage. We also found that the mice showed insulin resistance after long-term THS exposure.'

“我們發現，接觸三手煙1個月就會造成肝臟損傷，2個月時，出現更多分子損傷；等到4至6個月時，損傷進一步加劇。我們還發現，長期暴露在三手煙中小鼠會出現胰島素抵抗。”

Damage to the liver can hinder its capability to detoxify the body, leading to more damage by THS toxins.

肝臟受損會影響其解毒能力，致使身體遭受更多三手煙毒害。

Martins-Green and her team examined the brains of THS-exposed mice and found that stress hormones, such as epinephrine, increased in one month of exposure.

馬丁斯-格林及其團隊檢測了小鼠的大腦，發現接觸三手煙1個月後，小鼠的腎上腺素等應激激素水平上升。

Additional stress hormones are seen at two months, four months, and six months, eventually causing immune fatigue in the mice.

隨着接觸三手煙的時間增加至2個月、4個月、6個月，小鼠的應激激素水平持續升高，最終產生免疫疲勞。

'THS is a stealth toxin, a silent killer,' Martins-Green said.

馬丁斯-格林表示：“三手煙是一種隱形毒物、無聲的殺手。”

'Contaminants can be absorbed through the skin and through breathing. Although our research was not done on humans, people should be aware that hotel rooms, cars, and homes that were occupied by smokers are very likely to be contaminated with THS.'

“污染物可以通過皮膚接觸或呼吸被人體吸收。雖然我們沒有對人類進行研究，但是人們應該意識到，吸菸者所在的賓館房間、汽車以及房屋被三手煙污染的可能性很大。”

THS toxins, which are invisible but can be smelled, remain on surfaces for many years, and are resistant to even strong cleaning agents.

三手煙無形但是有氣味，可以在物體表面殘存多年，且甚至連強效清潔劑也無法去除。

Further, they accumulate and age by reacting with the ambient air, and change into carcinogenic chemicals.

此外，污染物與周圍空氣反應後會不斷積累和老化，並轉化爲致癌化學物質。

Because THS is absorbed through skin, children are especially vulnerable given their close contact with household surfaces.

由於三手煙能被皮膚吸收，兒童尤其容易受到傷害，因爲他們與物體表面的接觸更頻繁。

Children frequently ingest these toxins by putting their hands in their mouths. They also absorb them through the skin.

兒童往往會通過把手放進嘴裏而攝入這些有毒物質，也會通過皮膚吸收。

In other preliminary experiments, Martins-Green and her team found that mice exposed to THS are less social than unexposed mice.

在其他初步實驗中，馬丁斯-格林及其團隊發現，與未接觸三手煙的小鼠相比，接觸三手煙的小鼠更不愛社交。

Further, the researchers found that over time the mice get addicted to THS.

此外，研究人員發現，隨着時間的推移，小鼠會對三手煙上癮。

'Clearly, THS is affecting the behavior of mice,' said Martins-Green, 'It's not hard to imagine what the impact is on children who, unlike most adults, cannot remove themselves from these harmful environments. Although our work was done on mice, we are confident our results will apply to humans.'

“很明顯，三手煙影響了小鼠的行爲。由此不難想象，它對兒童產生的影響。與成年人不同，兒童無法自己離開這種對身體有害的環境。雖然，我們的研究對象是小鼠，但是我們相信這一結果也適用於人類。”