轻度认知障碍
近日，发表在美国神经病学学会杂志《神经病学》上的一项研究显示：玩电脑游戏、多多社交对延缓记忆力的衰退有帮助。
A new study has found that mentally stimulating activities like using computers, playing games, making crafts and participating in social activities are linked to a lower risk or delay of age-related memory loss called mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
这项新的研究发现，像使用电脑、玩游戏、手工制作和参加社交活动这样的精神刺激活动，与较低风险或延迟患上轻度认知障碍有关联（轻度认知障碍：与年龄相关的记忆丧失）。
左：正常人的大脑
中：轻度认知障碍者的大脑
右：阿尔茨海默病患者的大脑
轻度认知障碍(mild cognitive impairment)是一种常见的老年医学症状。
这种症状和思考能力还有记忆力有关联，但它与我们常说的“痴呆（dementia）”又不是一回事。它的症状要更轻一些。
They may struggle to complete complex tasks or have difficulty understanding information they have read, whereas people with dementia have trouble with daily tasks such as dressing, bathing and eating independently. However, there is strong evidence that MCI can be a precursor of dementia.
患轻度认知障碍的人可能很难完成复杂的任务，或者较难理解他们所读到的信息，但是痴呆症患者则很难独立完成日常任务，比如穿衣、洗澡和吃饭。不过，也有强有力的证据表明轻度认知障碍可能是痴呆的前兆。
"There are currently no drugs that effectively treat mild cognitive impairment, dementia or Alzheimer's disease, so there is growing interest in lifestyle factors that may help slow brain aging believed to contribute to thinking and memory problems — factors that are low cost and available to anyone," said study author Yonas E Geda, MD of the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology.
美国神经病学学会成员、亚利桑那州斯科茨代尔市梅奥医疗中心医学博士、该研究的作者Yonas E. Geda表示：“目前还没有能够有效治疗轻度认知障碍、痴呆或阿尔茨海默病的药物，因此，人们对于生活方式因素的影响越来越感兴趣，这些因素可能有助于减缓大脑衰老，人们相信特定生活方式有助于解决思考和记忆问题，并且改变生活方式的成本很低，任何人都可以参与。”
"Our study took a close look at how often people participated in mentally stimulating activities in both middle-age and later life, with a goal of examining when such activities may be most beneficial to the brain."
“我们的研究仔细观察了人们在中年和晚年参与精神刺激活动的频率，目的是研究在什么时候这类活动对大脑最有益。”
- Findings -
- 研究发现 -
Researchers found that using a computer in middle-age was associated with a 48 percent lower risk of MCI.
研究人员发现，在中年使用电脑会降低48%的轻度认知障碍风险。
Engaging in social activities, like going to movies or going out with friends, or playing games, like doing crosswords or playing cards, in both middle-age and later life were associated with a 20 percent lower risk of developing MCI.?
无论是在中年还是晚年，参加诸如看电影、和朋友出去玩、玩填字游戏，或者打扑克牌之类的社交活动都会降低20%患轻度认知障碍的风险。
Craft activities were associated with a 42 percent lower risk, but only in later life.
参加手工活动帮助人们降低了42%的风险，但仅在晚年有效。
研究人员还发现，用电脑、打纸牌、看电影等活动还有叠加效应。
简而言之就是，晚年玩得越嗨，脑子就越好。
Those who engaged in two activities were 28 percent less likely to develop memory and thinking problems than those who took part in no activities, while those who took part in three activities were 45 percent less likely, those with four activities were 56 percent less likely and those with five activities were 43 percent less likely.
参加两项活动的人比不参加任何活动的人出现记忆和思维问题的可能性要低28%，而参加三项活动的人比不参加任何活动的人低45%，参加四项活动的人要低56%，参加五项活动的人要低43%。
研究者同时也指出，虽然该项研究发现了这些活动与轻度认知障碍低风险之间的相关关系，但这并不是说患有轻度认知障碍的人就可以经常去参加这些活动。
有网友表示自己终于找到了记性不好的原因了，评论说：
I knew it. Now I have a source to prove that mentally demanding games are a good brain exercise!
我就知道！现在总算有科学研究证明烧脑的游戏是锻炼大脑的好方法了。
还有网瘾少年表示：
I knew spending over eight hours on the internet was not for nothing!
每天网上冲浪8个小时以上还是有点道理嘛，我早知道了。
有人认为锻炼大脑跟跑步撸铁是一个道理：
It makes sense that using your brain makes it stronger. Just like what happens with muscles. For example, reading is a task where the brain is used — therefore, learning video games is even a harder training. There is a fact about nuns' brains: because they read so many biblical books, Alzheimer's didn't hit them at all.?
使用大脑可以让它更强健，这不错。就和锻炼肌肉一个道理。比方说阅读是要用脑的，所以玩电子游戏应该是对大脑更剧烈的锻炼。有一个关于修女大脑的研究就显示，她们根本就不会得阿尔茨海默病，因为每天读书（圣经之类的）。
But it should be noted that reading itself isn't a complex task. Being able to analyze, debate and form rational ideas while reading is the key. Reading is only as complex as the material you're engaging with.
但也要注意，阅读活动本身不是一个很具有挑战性的任务。阅读的同时，认真分析、仔细思考、组织理性的观点才是关键。你阅读的材料越难，阅读活动才越难。
本文来源：中国日报网
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