囧研究：工作环境如何影响大脑功能

 　　A new study from the Florida State University suggests that inadequate¹ amount of stimulation² in the workplace and an unclean working environment can both affect the brain functions of employees on the long run。

　　来自佛罗里达州大学的新研究显示，工作场所刺激量的不足和不洁净的工作环境从长远来看均会影响员工的大脑功能。

　　Previously³， researchers have been debating whether dirty workplace or working in an unstimulating environment that took the biggest toll⁴ on brain health as people aged⁵。

　　此前，研究人员一直在争论，随着年龄增长，肮脏的工作场所或不刺激的工作环境是否会对人的脑部健康产生最大的影响。

　　“Psychologists say that the brain is a muscle， while industrial hygienists point to chemicals in the work environment that may cause decline，” explained Joseph Grzywacz， the Norejane Hendrickson Professor of Family and Child Sciences and lead researcher on the study， in a statement。

　　“心理学家说脑是肌肉，而工业卫生学家指出工作环境的化学物质可能导致其衰退，”家庭和儿童科学教授及该研究的首席研究员Joseph Grzywacz在一份声明中说。

　　The new study， published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine， suggests that both workplace cleanliness and stimulation plays an important role in the long-term cognitive⁶ well-being⁷ of employees。

　　这个新研究发表在《职业和环境医学》期刊上，它介绍了工作场所的清洁和刺激在长期来看对员工的认知健康起着重要的作用。

　　“There are real things in the workplace that can shape cognitive function： some that you can see or touch， and others you can’t。 We showed that both matter to cognitive health in adulthood，” Grywacs added in a press release。

　　“工作场所的一些东西真的能够塑造认知功能：一些东西你看得见摸得着，一些却不能。我们展示了这些东西对成年人的认知健康有影响，”Grywacs在一份媒体稿件上说道。

　　For the study， researchers analyzed⁸ the data of 4，963 adults aging from 32 to 84 from the 48 contiguous states。

　　在研究中，研究员分析了4963名年龄32至84岁之间，来自48个州的成年人的数据。

　　The researchers the individual workplace of each participant and their ability to maintain and later use information they learned。

　　研究员分析了每个参与者的工作场所，和他们的保持以及随后运用所获取的信息的能力。

　　Executive functioning skills such as their ability to complete tasks， manage time and pay attention were also observed。

　　他们还观察其执行功能能力，如完成任务，管理时间和专注力等。

　　Each participant was also asked if they are experiencing any issues in their memory。

　　每个参与者还被问到他们的记忆是否正在经历一些问题。

　　Their study resulted into two major findings。

　　他们的研究得出了两大结论。

　　First， researchers discovered that learning new skills and facing new challenges resulted in stronger cognitive performance particularly for women as they aged。

　　一，研究员发现学习新技能和面对新挑战特别是对于女性来说，随年龄增长，会导致更强的认知能力。

　　On the other hand， cognitive decline were observed in both men and women exposed to dirty working environment。

　　另一方面，无论男女，当暴露于肮脏的工作环境中，都出现了认知衰退的现象。

　　Their findings suggests that higher stimulation in the workplace can improve the cognitive performance of the employees， but at the same time， maintaining clean working environment is also very important to prevent possible decrease in brain function of the employees。

　　他们的研究结果表面，工作场所的高刺激能改善员工的认知能力，但同时，保持工作环境的清洁也十分重要，以避免员工脑功能的可能性衰退。

1 inadequate   

adj.(for,to)不充足的，不适当的

参考例句：

• The supply is inadequate to meet the demand.供不应求。
• She was inadequate to the demands that were made on her.她还无力满足对她提出的各项要求。

2 stimulation   

n.刺激，激励，鼓舞

参考例句：

• The playgroup provides plenty of stimulation for the children.幼儿游戏组给孩子很多启发。
• You don't get any intellectual stimulation in this job.你不能从这份工作中获得任何智力启发。

3 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

4 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

5 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 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。

7 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。

8 analyzed   

v.分析( analyze的过去式和过去分词 )；分解；解释；对…进行心理分析

参考例句：

• The doctors analyzed the blood sample for anemia. 医生们分析了贫血的血样。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The young man did not analyze the process of his captivation and enrapturement, for love to him was a mystery and could not be analyzed. 这年轻人没有分析自己蛊惑著迷的过程，因为对他来说，爱是个不可分析的迷。 来自《简明英汉词典》