注意力不集中？喝咖啡真的有效吗？

 　　Central nervous system stimulant¹ medicines are the most commonly prescribed medications to treat symptoms of attention deficit²/hyperactivity disorder³ (ADHD). These stimulants⁴ activate⁵ the level of activity, arousal, or alertness of the central nervous system. They work by “stimulating” and increasing the availability of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, making pathways in the brain work more effectively.

　　中枢神经系统兴奋剂是治疗注意性缺障碍症（多动症）的一剂常用良方。这些兴奋剂提升了人们控制行为的能力，唤醒并使中枢神经系统处于警觉状态。这些药物的主要职能是“刺激”并增加大脑中某些神经递质的能动性，让大脑工作的效率更高。

　　All three subtypes of ADHD -- the Combined type, the Predominantly Hyperactive-Impulsive⁶ type, and the Predominantly Inattentive type -- respond to stimulant therapy.

　　共有三种亚型多动症：组合型多动症，冲动型多动症以及完全无法集中注意力为主要特征的多动症——刺激疗法都可以奏效。

　　注意力不集中？喝咖啡真的有效吗？

　　Caffeine is also a central nervous system stimulant. Is caffeine an alternative therapeutic⁷ strategy for the management of ADHD symptoms? Can a few cups of coffee a day effectively improve mental focus and attention and reduce impulsive or hyperactive behavior in children with ADHD?

　　咖啡因也是中枢神经系统兴奋剂的一种。但这就意味着咖啡因能在治疗多动症方面取代药物么？一天喝几杯咖啡，我们就能集中注意力于工作了吗？也能使罹患多动症的儿童行为有所改善吗？

　　Research on Caffeine and ADHD

　　关于喝咖啡治疗多动症的研究

　　Research published in the International Journal of Neuropychophamacology (December 2005) studied the effect of caffeine on animal models of ADHD – rats with ADHD-like symptoms including hyperactivity, impulsivity⁸, poorly sustained attention, and deficits⁹ in learning and memory processes.

　　发表在国际期刊International Journal of Neuropychophamacology （2005年第十二期）研究了咖啡因在动物样本上治疗多动症的效果——有多动症状的冲动，缺乏持续注意力，有认知记忆缺陷的老鼠样本。

　　The study found that caffeine improved several learning and memory impairments in the animal models of ADHD.

　　研究发现，咖啡因确实在动物样本实验中对认知与记忆障碍的症状有所改善。

　　Research published in the journal Neuroscience Letters (2011) further evaluated the effect of caffeine on motor activity and attention deficit, again using a genetic¹⁰ animal model of ADHD. In the study investigators¹¹ observed no changes in the motor activity measurements before and after caffeine administration, however a significant improvement in the attention deficit of the ADHD rats was achieved after caffeine treatment.

　　小说Neuroscience Letters(《神经科学》2011年出版)中关于此的研究进一步评估了咖啡因对人体运动活性和注意力的积极影响，仍是通过动物样本实验。在此次研究中研究人员发现，在运动活性测量前后服用咖啡因的小鼠体征没有变化，而有缺陷性多动障碍的小鼠则在服用前后症状有相当大的改善。

　　Caffeine for ADHD in Children?

　　咖啡因与多动症儿童

　　Though improvements have been noted¹² in animal models and in anecdotal reports, research on the safety and effectiveness of caffeine in the treatment of ADHD is very limited. We tend to think of caffeine as an innocuous substance – after all it is naturally found in coffee, tea, and cocoa – , however, it is still a drug and a central nervous stimulant.

　　虽然在动物样本实验和报告中，咖啡因都表现得不错，但其在治疗多动症的安全性与有效性方面的相关研究是非常少的。我们倾向于认为咖啡因是一种对人体无害的物质，毕竟咖啡，茶和可可中都有咖啡因存在。但是，他的效能仍然是药物，是一种中枢神经兴奋剂。

　　Many pediatricians caution against the use of caffeine as a treatment choice for ADHD. It tends to be shorter acting¹³ as compared to the stimulant medications, so any positive effects are shorter lasting¹⁴. In addition, there are currently no dosage recommendations for managing ADHD with caffeine.

　　许多儿科医生极不赞成将咖啡因用于多动症的治疗。它的作用时间较短，所以与其他刺激性药物相比发挥效能的时间也短。此外，目前还没有任何关于咖啡因治疗注意缺陷行多动症的用量建议。

　　Like all stimulants, caffeine can result in negative side effects such as anxiety, restlessness, insomnia¹⁵, stomachaches, and tachycardia when consumed in higher doses. Children are often more susceptible¹⁶ to these adverse¹⁷ effects as compared to adults.

　　和所有其他刺激性药物一样，人们服用过量咖啡因时，咖啡因会带来十分消极的副作用，比如焦虑，烦躁，失眠，胃痛，心跳加速等症状。而孩子在应激方面的反应比成年人更敏感。

　　At this time there is insufficient¹⁸ information available to recommend caffeine for children with ADHD. Treatment approaches with documented efficacy and safety include behavioral interventions¹⁹ and when indicated prescription²⁰ stimulant medication.

　　如今，推荐咖啡因作为儿童多动症的治疗手段明显证据不足。已记录的治疗方法仍是有效性与安全性有保障的处方兴奋剂药物。

1 stimulant   

n.刺激物，兴奋剂

参考例句：

• It is used in medicine for its stimulant quality.由于它有兴奋剂的特性而被应用于医学。
• Musk is used for perfume and stimulant.麝香可以用作香料和兴奋剂。

2 deficit   

n.亏空，亏损；赤字，逆差

参考例句：

• The directors have reported a deficit of 2.5 million dollars.董事们报告赤字为250万美元。
• We have a great deficit this year.我们今年有很大亏损。

3 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

4 stimulants   

n.兴奋剂( stimulant的名词复数 )；含兴奋剂的饮料；刺激物；激励物

参考例句：

• Coffee and tea are mild stimulants. 咖啡和茶是轻度兴奋剂。
• At lower concentrations they may even be stimulants of cell division. 在浓度较低时，它们甚至能促进细胞分裂。 来自辞典例句

5 activate   

vt.使活动起来，使开始起作用

参考例句：

• We must activate the youth to study.我们要激励青年去学习。
• These push buttons can activate the elevator.这些按钮能启动电梯。

6 impulsive   

adj.冲动的，刺激的；有推动力的

参考例句：

• She is impulsive in her actions.她的行为常出于冲动。
• He was neither an impulsive nor an emotional man,but a very honest and sincere one.他不是个一冲动就鲁莽行事的人，也不多愁善感.他为人十分正直、诚恳。

7 therapeutic   

adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的

参考例句：

• Therapeutic measures were selected to fit the patient.选择治疗措施以适应病人的需要。
• When I was sad,music had a therapeutic effect.我悲伤的时候，音乐有治疗效力。

8 impulsivity   

认知的熟虑性？冲动性

参考例句：

• Fortifying executive function and restraining impulsivity are possible with active interventions. 积极干预可能有助加强执行功能和抑制冲动性。

9 deficits   

n.不足额( deficit的名词复数 )；赤字；亏空；亏损

参考例句：

• The Ministry of Finance consistently overestimated its budget deficits. 财政部一贯高估预算赤字。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。 来自辞典例句

10 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

11 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

13 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

14 lasting   

adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持

参考例句：

• The lasting war debased the value of the dollar.持久的战争使美元贬值。
• We hope for a lasting settlement of all these troubles.我们希望这些纠纷能获得永久的解决。

15 insomnia   

n.失眠，失眠症

参考例句：

• Worries and tenseness can lead to insomnia.忧虑和紧张会导致失眠。
• He is suffering from insomnia.他患失眠症。

16 susceptible   

adj.过敏的，敏感的；易动感情的，易受感动的

参考例句：

• Children are more susceptible than adults.孩子比成人易受感动。
• We are all susceptible to advertising.我们都易受广告的影响。

17 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

18 insufficient   

adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的

参考例句：

• There was insufficient evidence to convict him.没有足够证据给他定罪。
• In their day scientific knowledge was insufficient to settle the matter.在他们的时代，科学知识还不能足以解决这些问题。

19 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

20 prescription   

n.处方，开药；指示，规定

参考例句：

• The physician made a prescription against sea- sickness for him.医生给他开了个治晕船的药方。
• The drug is available on prescription only.这种药只能凭处方购买。