VOA标准英语2011--Study: Female Coffee Drinkers Are Less D

Study: Female Coffee Drinkers Are Less Depressed¹

Women who drink coffee may have a lower risk of depression, according to a study from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Several recent studies have looked at a possible link between coffee and suicide, and found that coffee drinkers were less likely to kill themselves.
Depression can contribute to suicide, so a logical question might be, does coffee lower the risk of depression?
In this new study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers used data from an ongoing² project called the "Nurses' Health Study." Women in the study periodically answer questionnaires about their health and lifestyle.
Some 50,000 nurses who reported their coffee consumption and depression status were included in this study.
Researchers found that women who drank more coffee were less likely to be diagnosed with depression. However, the association is not necessarily a cause-and-effect relationship.
"This study can not prove that caffeine reduces the risk of depression," says Michel Lucas, of the Harvard School of Public Health, "but only suggests the possibility of such protective effect."
The lower risk of depression was not observed in people who drink decaffeinated coffee. Also, nurses in the study who reported drinking tea and other beverages³ with caffeine didn't show a significant change in their risk of depression, possibly because of the much lower levels of caffeine in those drinks.
Lucas say the study cannot answer whether coffee possibly helps protect against depression, but he says caffeine does have biochemical effects that might explain why coffee-drinkers – or, more accurately⁴, caffeine-users – are less likely to be depressed.
"We cannot assume causality in this study. It suggests some possibilities. As we know, caffeine is a well-known psycho-stimulant, which increases also a sensation of well-being⁵ and energy."
Lucas says caffeine is also associated with regulation of dopamine and serotonin, chemical neurotransmitters linked to mood and depression.
Future research may prove whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship between coffee-drinking and a lower risk of depression. But for now, the Lucas says, "If you're worrying about your drinking cups of coffee, then I think this study is a little bit reassuring⁶ for people that like coffee."
Michel Lucas of the Harvard School of Public Health and his colleagues published their study on the link between coffee consumption and depression in the journal, Archives of Internal Medicine.

1 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 beverages   

n.饮料( beverage的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• laws governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 控制酒类销售的法规
• regulations governing the sale of alcoholic beverages 含酒精饮料的销售管理条例

4 accurately   

adv.准确地，精确地

参考例句：

• It is hard to hit the ball accurately.准确地击中球很难。
• Now scientists can forecast the weather accurately.现在科学家们能准确地预报天气。

5 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。

6 reassuring   

a.使人消除恐惧和疑虑的，使人放心的

参考例句：

• He gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. 他轻拍了一下她的肩膀让她放心。
• With a reassuring pat on her arm, he left. 他鼓励地拍了拍她的手臂就离开了。