◎國際新聞中心
People who do puzzles and crosswords may stave off dementia longer but experience a more rapid decline once the disease sets in, a study suggests.
研究顯示,玩拼圖與填字遊戲者,可能延緩失智症發作的時間到更久之後,但一旦這種疾病降臨,他們衰退的速度也比較快。
While there has long been speculation that "exercising" your brain could protect against Alzheimer’s, there has been little evidence to back this up. Now US researchers who followed more than 1,000 people suggest the more mentally active may delay the disease. But once symptoms appeared, decline was quicker, the research suggested.
雖然長期以來,都推測「運動」大腦可對抗阿茲海默氏症,但少有研究支持。現在追蹤1000多人的美國研究人員表示,心智活動越多,越有可能延緩阿茲海默氏症,但這份研究顯示,一旦症狀出現,衰退也會更快。
The team from the Rush University Medical Center in Chicago recruited 1,157 people aged over 65 in the early 1990s. They were given a maximum of five points based on how often they engaged in a variety of activities which involved processing information, including listening to the radio or watching TV, reading a book, carrying out a crossword puzzle or jigsaw, or going to a museum.
芝加哥羅許大學醫學中心團隊在1990年代初期邀集1157名65歲以上的人,根據他們參與各式活動的頻率評分,最高5分。他們參與的活動都是有關資訊處理,包括聽收音機或看電視、讀書、寫填字遊戲、玩拼圖、或是去博物館。
They were then followed for an average of 12 years, with assessments every three years. For each additional point those without a diagnosed cognitive impairment saw a 50% slower decline in their brain function.
接著研究人員平均追蹤他們12年,每3年評估一次。未診斷出認知損傷者,(上述評估)每高1分,腦功能衰退的時間就慢50%。
But the 148 people who had a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s saw a 42% faster decline for each point they had accumulated for mental activity.
但148名診斷出阿茲海默氏症者,從事心智活動累積的分數多1分,衰退的程度就快42%。
新聞辭典
stave off :片語,擊退、延緩、阻止不好的事情發生。例句:He drank plenty of orange juice, hoping to stave off the cold making the rounds at the office. (他猛喝柳橙汁,希望避免感冒在辦公室散佈。)
set in: 片語,(不好的事情)降臨。例句:If you get bitten by a dog, you have to make sure the wound is properly cleaned, or an infection could set in.(如果被狗咬,得確定傷口適當清潔,不然會感染。)
carry out :片語,實施、執行、完成。例句:The hospital is carrying out tests to find out what’s wrong with her.(醫院正在檢查她出了什麼毛病。)
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