运动起来 拒绝老年痴呆症

New studies show that moderate exercise in midlife and later can arrest and even reverse the memory loss and fuzzy thinking that comes with age.
有新研究表明，人到中年以后若坚持适量运动则可以减缓甚至扭转老年时记忆力减退和意识模糊。

Two new studies provide more evidence that regular aerobic exercise not only staves off problems with thinking and memory that often come with age, but can actually help turn back the clock on brain aging.
更有两个新的研究证明，定期做些有氧运动不仅可以预防一些老年记忆力和反应能力方面常出现的毛病，实际上还能起到减缓大脑衰老的作用。

In one study, researchers found evidence that engaging in moderate physical activity such as brisk walking, swimming, or yoga in midlife, or later, may cut the risk of developing mild thinking problems.
在其中的一项调查中，研究人员发现，人到中年以后参加一些剧烈程度适中的健身运动，如健走，游泳，或瑜伽，能够降低在反应方面出现问题的概率。

In the other study, a group of elderly individuals who already had mild problems saw improvements in their mental agility after six months of high-intensity aerobic activity. People with mild mental impairments of the kind studied - known as mild cognitive impairment - typically have some memory difficulties, such as forgetting people's names or misplacing items.
在另一项调查中，一些已经患有轻微反应迟钝的老年人，在参加了6个月的高强度有氧运动之后，病情得到了改善。被调查的这些智力不健全（即我们通常说的认知障碍）的人通常患有记忆障碍，如忘记别人的姓名，错放物品等。

Each year, 10 to 15 percent of individuals with mild cognitive impairment will develop dementia, as compared with 1 to 2 percent of the general population. Previous studies in animals and humans have suggested that exercise may improve thinking and memory. To investigate further, Seattle-based researchers studied 33 adults with mild cognitive impairment. Twenty-three spent 45 to 60 minutes on a treadmill or stationary bicycle four days a week for six months, while the other 10 "control" subjects did stretching exercises but kept their heart rate low.
每年，有10%至15%的轻微认知障碍患者会变成痴呆症患者。而相比之下，痴呆症的发病率在一般人群中只有1%到2%。以往有研究表明，运动可以改善人和动物的反应能力和记忆力。为了进行进一步调查，西雅图的几名研究人员对33位患有轻度认知障碍的成年人进行了研究。23个人每天花45到60分钟在跑步机或固定自行车上（锻炼），每周4天，一共持续了6个月。而另外的10个对照组则只在低心律下进行一些伸展运动。

Six months of intense aerobic exercise "improved cognitive abilities of attention and concentration, organization, planning, and multi-tasking", study chief Dr Laura Baker notes. In contrast, cognitive function test scores continued to decline in the group that didn't have vigorous exercise.
调研小组组长劳拉 贝克说，6个月的高强度有氧运动改善了（他们的）认知能力，提高了（他们的）注意力，组织能力，计划能力及同时做多件事的能力。相比之下，那些没有进行高强度锻炼的人，在做认知能力测验的时候，得分还在降低。

Might it be possible to get the same brain benefit from lower intensity aerobic exercise? "In theory, yes," Baker says, "but we are just now starting the studies that will help us know how little is enough. In the next five years, we'll have a much better idea about the minimum 'dose' of exercise needed (how often, duration of exercise sessions, how much exertion is needed) without compromising the cognitive benefits."
有没有可能通过更低强度的有氧运动来获得同样的对大脑的益处呢？“在理论上讲，是可能的。”贝克说，“但我们才刚刚开始研究这个量至少是多少。在未来的5年里，我们会更确切地知道，在不减少对认知方面带来的益处的前提下，这个最小运动需求到底是多，比如多久一次，每次锻炼要坚持多长时间，需要多大的运动量。”