英伦广角 中年糖尿病预防有助于防止大脑老化

 

Want to ward¹ off memory issues and other cognitive² problems as you age? Looks like low blood glucose³ levels are an important factor. New research finds that individuals diagnosed with type 2 diabetes⁴ in middle age had greater cognitive impairment in the following decades than their nondiabetic counterparts.

想要避免随着年龄增加带来的记忆力问题和其它认知问题?貌似较低的血糖水平是一个重要因素。新的研究发现，中年被诊断为2型糖尿病的人跟那些非糖尿病患者相比，在之后的几十年或会遭遇更大的认知障碍。

\In fact, poorly managed diabetes appears to age the brain roughly five years faster than normal. That means a 55-year-old with diabetes has cognitive decline on par⁵ with a healthy 60-year-old. And the problems accumulate: over 20 years, diabetes in midlife is associated with a 19 percent decrease in mental function. Cognitive decline is considered a precursor⁶ to dementia. The findings are in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

事实上护理不善的糖尿病人群，其大脑似乎比正常人衰老速度大致要快5年。这意味着一个55岁的糖尿病患者认知标准下降到了一个60岁健康人士的水平。而该问题累积到超过20年后，中年糖尿病患者的心智功能就会下降19%。认知能力下降被认为是老年痴呆的前兆。该发现出自《内科医学年鉴》。

A team from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health followed some 6,000 study subjects in Maryland, North Carolina, Minnesota and Mississippi from 1987 through 2013. The researchers used accepted tests to evaluate the participants’ cognitive performance. And the people with low blood sugar levels outperformed those with midlife diabetes or pre-diabetes.

约翰霍普斯金大学公共卫生学院的一组研究人员，从1987年至2013年跟踪研究了来自马里兰州、北卡莱罗纳州、明尼苏达州和密西西比州的6千名研究对象。研究人员运用接受测试来评估研究对象的认知表现。那些血糖水平较低的人表现优于中年糖尿病患者或处于糖尿病前期的人群。

The researchers’ conclusion: better weight control, exercise and a healthful diet could really help keep both body—and mind—fit over the long haul.

研究人员得出结论：长远来看，较好的控制体重、注重运动及饮食健康真的有利于保持身心双重健康。

1 ward   

n.守卫，监护，病房，行政区，由监护人或法院保护的人（尤指儿童）；vt.守护，躲开

参考例句：

• The hospital has a medical ward and a surgical ward.这家医院有内科病房和外科病房。
• During the evening picnic,I'll carry a torch to ward off the bugs.傍晚野餐时，我要点根火把，抵挡蚊虫。

2 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。

3 glucose   

n.葡萄糖

参考例句：

• I gave him an extra dose of glucose to pep him up.我给他多注射了一剂葡萄糖以增强他的活力。
• The doctor injected glucose into his patient's veins.医生将葡萄糖注入病人的静脉。

4 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

5 par   

n.标准，票面价值，平均数量；adj.票面的，平常的，标准的

参考例句：

• Sales of nylon have been below par in recent years.近年来尼龙织品的销售额一直不及以往。
• I don't think his ability is on a par with yours.我认为他的能力不能与你的能力相媲美。

6 precursor   

n.先驱者；前辈；前任；预兆；先兆

参考例句：

• Error is often the precursor of what is correct.错误常常是正确的先导。
• He said that the deal should not be seen as a precursor to a merger.他说该笔交易不应该被看作是合并的前兆。