吃的少能让人更聪明？

 　吃的少能让人更聪明？

Eating less could help you remember more, researchers have found.

　　有研究者发现，吃得少能提高记忆力。

　　Skipping dessert and having an after-dinner coffee instead could also be good for your brain, as well as your waistline.

　　放弃餐后甜点，来一杯餐后咖啡，有益于你的脑子，也有助于控制你的腰围。

　　The news comes from an Italian study into ‘calorific restriction’ – the idea that near-starvation rations¹ boost health and extend life.

　　这样的说法来自于一个意大利的关于“卡路里限制”的研究，而研究显示，接近饥饿的食物配给能有助于促进健康和延长寿命。

　　Scientists have long known of the phenomenon, but have struggled to work out just what it is about severely² cutting calories that improves health.

　　科学家们在很久以前就得知这种现象，但通过近期的努力钻研，科学家们才知晓大量减少卡路里能增进身体健康到底是怎么一回事。

　　Researcher Giovambattista Pani decided³ to focus on a protein called CREB1 that is known to be important to memory and learning.

　　科学家Giovambattista Pani决定对一种名为CREB1的蛋白质作针对性研究，而这种蛋白质对于学习能力和记忆能力是十分重要的。

　　In experiments on mice, he showed that cutting calories boosted learning if the animals could still make CREB1. He also showed that cutting calories boosts the amount of the protein made in the brain. The animals’ calorie count was only cut by 25 to 30 per cent. In human terms, this equates⁴ to about 600 calories a day.

　　在老鼠的实体试验中，他发现在老鼠大脑持续产出CREB1的情况下，减少卡路里能增加记忆能力。同时，他也得出，减少卡路里也能促进大脑细胞数量的增长。实验中只是让小白鼠减少25-30%的卡路里摄入，而在人体内，这相当于每天减少600卡路里。

　　A cup of tea or coffee may also be beneficial, with studies crediting caffeine with upping the amount of CREB1 made in the body. The work by Dr Pani, of the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Rome is detailed⁵ in the journal Proceedings⁶ of the National Academy of Sciences.

　　研究显示，咖啡因能让身体多产CREB1蛋白质。那么，喝一杯茶，或是品一杯咖啡会是非常有益。这个研究项目由罗马圣心天主教大学的Pani博士负责，该研究的具体细节刊登在《国家科学院学报》的期刊论文上。

　　Dr Pani said: ‘It is just 25 to 30 per cent fewer calories. It is like not eating a cake at the end of the meal. This gives us a tool to better investigate this brain circuitry and try to figure out more drugs that do the same. We are trying a couple of compounds right now on animals but it is at a very preliminary stage.

　　Pani博士表示：“这项实验仅仅需要减少25-30%的卡路里，只是让你感觉像是没吃餐后甜点一样。这为我们提供了更好的研究大脑路径的方法，我们也尝试找出更多的药物减少卡路里，提高记忆。我们即将在活体上尝试几种复合物，但这还停留在非常初步的阶段。”

　　Keeping the brain young could be of huge value in an ageing population. Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia affect more than 800,000 Britons, and the number expected to double in a generation.

　　在人口老龄化的今天，保持大脑活性将拥有巨大的价值。阿尔茨海默氏症以及其它形式的痴呆症影响着超过80万英国人，而下一代患痴呆症的人数将会是上述数据的两倍。

　　Dr Pani said: ‘Our findings identify for the first time an important mediator⁷ of the effects of diet on the brain. This discovery has important implications to develop future therapies to keep our brain young and prevent brain degeneration and the ageing process. Our hope is to find a way to activate⁸ CREB1, for example through new drugs, so to keep the brain young without the need of a strict diet.’

　　Pani博士表示：“我们的研究第一次确认了饮食习惯对大脑产生影响的中介物质。这次的发现意义重大，我们可以研发出创新疗法，让我们的大脑保持活性，还能防止大脑衰退和老龄化进程。我们希望寻求一种激活CREB1蛋白质的方法，例如通过新药(而不是制定严格的饮食计划)就能让大脑保持活性。”

1 rations   

定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量

参考例句：

• They are provisioned with seven days' rations. 他们得到了7天的给养。
• The soldiers complained that they were getting short rations. 士兵们抱怨他们得到的配给不够数。

2 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

3 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

4 equates   

v.认为某事物（与另一事物）相等或相仿( equate的第三人称单数 )；相当于；等于；把（一事物） 和（另一事物）等同看待

参考例句：

• He equates success with material wealth. 他认为成功等同于物质财富。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• This equates to increased and vigor, better sleep and sharper mental acuity. 也就是说可以起到增强活力，改善睡眠，提高心智的作用。 来自互联网

5 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

6 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

7 mediator   

n.调解人，中介人

参考例句：

• He always takes the role of a mediator in any dispute.他总是在争论中充当调停人的角色。
• He will appear in the role of mediator.他将出演调停者。

8 activate   

vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

参考例句：

• We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
• These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。