美国国家公共电台 NPR A Brain Scientist Who Studies Alzheimer's Explains How She Stays Mentally Fit

 

NOEL KING, HOST:

All right, we know that giving your mental muscles a workout can help keep your brain sharp as you get older. The question is what does that workout look like? Is it crossword¹ puzzles? Is it computer games? To find out, NPR's Jon Hamilton talked to a brain scientist about her own approach to mental fitness.

JON HAMILTON, BYLINE²: Jessica Langbaum's interest in brain health is professional and personal.

JESSICA LANGBAUM: My grandfather was diagnosed with mild cognitive³ impairment when I was in graduate school getting my Ph.D.

HAMILTON: He went on to develop Alzheimer's, and Langbaum began to ask herself a question.

LANGBAUM: How can I, in my career, help ensure that we aren't suffering from the disease when we reach that age?

HAMILTON: Today Langbaum is associate director of the Alzheimer's Prevention Initiative at the Banner Alzheimer's Institute in Phoenix⁴, and she firmly believes that staying mentally active is good for your brain. But Langbaum says she's not focusing on any single activity.

LANGBAUM: Just sitting down and doing Sudoko isn't probably going to be the one key thing that's going to prevent you from developing Alzheimer's disease.

HAMILTON: Langbaum says playing a puzzle game or one of those commercial brain games is like exercising just one muscle in your body. That muscle will get stronger, but your overall fitness isn't going to change. Langbaum says the brain training programs used in research studies are more promising⁵ and more strenuous⁶.

LANGBAUM: They're hard.

HAMILTON: A few years ago, Langbaum was part of a groundbreaking study on brain training. About 2,800 people, age 65 and older, spent more than five weeks doing exercises that tested memory, reasoning and speed. Langbaum says they helped a bit.

LANGBAUM: They delay the onset⁷ of cognitive impairment. They keep your brain working at the same level, longer, compared to people who did not receive those same cognitive training interventions⁸.

HAMILTON: Langbaum says it's unclear whether brain training can also prevent Alzheimer's. So I ask her whether she uses a cognitive training program.

LANGBAUM: I don't. Actually, I think my job is my daily cognitive training.

HAMILTON: She's not being flippant. Like a lot of people, Langbaum has a job that requires intense thinking, problem-solving and constant learning. She also has kids, a family and friends, which means the social areas of her brain get a daily workout. Langbaum says mental exercises may be most useful for people who are out of the workforce⁹ and more isolated¹⁰, and she has some advice for anyone looking for a way to keep their brain healthy.

LANGBAUM: If you like crossword puzzles, do them, but try something new. And trying something new that brings you enjoyment¹¹ is key. Don't do it if you don't like it.

HAMILTON: Jon Hamilton, NPR News.

1 crossword   

n.纵横字谜，纵横填字游戏

参考例句：

• He shows a great interest in crossword puzzles.他对填字游戏表现出很大兴趣。
• Don't chuck yesterday's paper out.I still haven't done the crossword.别扔了昨天的报纸，我还没做字谜游戏呢。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

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 phoenix   

n.凤凰，长生(不死)鸟；引申为重生

参考例句：

• The airline rose like a phoenix from the ashes.这家航空公司又起死回生了。
• The phoenix worship of China is fetish worship not totem adoration.中国凤崇拜是灵物崇拜而非图腾崇拜。

5 promising   

adj.有希望的，有前途的

参考例句：

• The results of the experiments are very promising.实验的结果充满了希望。
• We're trying to bring along one or two promising young swimmers.我们正设法培养出一两名有前途的年轻游泳选手。

6 strenuous   

adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的

参考例句：

• He made strenuous efforts to improve his reading. 他奋发努力提高阅读能力。
• You may run yourself down in this strenuous week.你可能会在这紧张的一周透支掉自己。

7 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。

8 interventions   

n.介入，干涉，干预( intervention的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Economic analysis of government interventions deserves detailed discussion. 政府对经济的干预应该给予充分的论述。 来自辞典例句
• The judge's frequent interventions made a mockery of justice. 法官的屡屡干预是对正义的践踏。 来自互联网

9 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

10 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

11 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。