VOA标准英语2010年-Having a Sense of Purpose Reduces Alzh

A person suffering from Alzheimer's gradually loses touch with reality. It is one of the most dreaded¹ diseases of aging.

"When you think about the functions that limit living independently and autonomously², loss of cognition is one of the major ones," says neurologist Aron Buchman.  

Buchman says finding ways to treat and prevent the disease is critical because the risk of developing Alzheimer's increases as people grow older and the world's population is aging.

Focus on the positive

Having a purpose in life has been associated with other positive health outcomes so Buchman wondered if feeling life has meaning might also have an impact on developing Alzheimer's.

"People with high purpose in life have a lower risk of dying," he says. "We know that they also have a lower risk of developing disability, and their rate of motor decline is slower as well."

So Buchman and his colleagues at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago assessed 'purpose in life' in 900 seniors who had an average age of 80.

Sense of purpose

Their 'purpose in life' score was based on their level of agreement with statements like, "I feel good when I think about what I have done in the past and what I hope to do in the future." Participants were also examined clinically each year for signs of Alzheimer's or mild dementia.

"We found that people with high purpose in life at the beginning of the study had about a two-and-half times lower risk of developing dementia as compared to somebody with low purpose in life," Buchman reports. "Having high purpose in life seems to be associated with a lower risk of developing cognitive³ difficulties as people age."

Buchman says the study's finding indicates that strategies to prevent the onset⁴ of Alzheimer's and dementia need to focus on increasing seniors' feelings of purpose in life. Encouraging them to volunteer, to stay active and involved may not only enhance their health and well-being⁵ today, but well into the future.
 

1 dreaded   

adj.令人畏惧的；害怕的v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The dreaded moment had finally arrived. 可怕的时刻终于来到了。
• He dreaded having to spend Christmas in hospital. 他害怕非得在医院过圣诞节不可。 来自《用法词典》

2 autonomously   

adv. 自律地，自治地

参考例句：

• To learn autonomously in the network environment is totally new to students. 基于网络环境下的自主学习对学生来说，是一种全新的学习方式。
• The QC-RS can operate autonomously or by remote control. QC-RS能实现自动操作或通过遥控来操作。

3 cognitive   

adj.认知的，认识的，有感知的

参考例句：

• As children grow older,their cognitive processes become sharper.孩子们越长越大，他们的认知过程变得更为敏锐。
• The cognitive psychologist is like the tinker who wants to know how a clock works.认知心理学者倒很像一个需要通晓钟表如何运转的钟表修理匠。

4 onset   

n.进攻，袭击，开始，突然开始

参考例句：

• The drug must be taken from the onset of the infection.这种药必须在感染的最初期就开始服用。
• Our troops withstood the onset of the enemy.我们的部队抵挡住了敌人的进攻。

5 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。