英语听力文摘 English Digest 729 为什么我们要睡觉？

Why Do We Sleep?

Dear A Moment of Science,

Why do we sleep? I know this question has been debated by scientists and philosophers for centuries, but are there any hard and fast answers?

Good question! First, it’s true that scientists have long pondered the mystery of sleep why we do it and why it’s necessary. We know that going without sleep for too long can seriously damage health, so there’s good reason to believe that getting enough sleep is important for our well-being¹.

But exactly how and why that’s the case is still an open question. Some research, though, may shed a little light on the problem. For instance, scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York did a study with mice, and found that during sleep their brains flush out toxins² that accumulate during the day.

More specifically, the study found that sleep sort of changes the brain’s cellular³ structure. When the mice were asleep or anesthetized, the researchers found that there was more space between their brain cells, allowing a sort of brain plumbing⁴ apparatus⁵ called the glymphatic system to open wide and allow fluid to flow quickly through the brain.

Other studies have shown that toxic⁶ molecules⁷ build up in the space between brain cells. Researchers at the University of Rochester found that those molecules vanished faster from the brain when the mice were asleep.

So what does this mean? Well, it could give scientists new ways to study and potentially treat brain disorders⁸ like Alzheimer’s by targeting the glymphatic system and helping⁹ it better flush away brain toxins.

我们为什么要睡觉？

亲爱的科学时刻：

我们为什么要睡觉？我知道这个问题已经被科学家和哲学家们争论了几个世纪，但有什么快速而有力的答案吗？

好问题！首先，科学家们长期以来一直在思考睡眠的奥秘，为什么我们要这样做，为什么有必要这样做。我们知道长时间不睡觉会严重损害健康，所以有充分的理由相信充足的睡眠对我们的健康很重要。

但究竟是如何以及为什么会这样，仍然是一个悬而未决的问题。不过，一些研究可能会对这个问题有一点帮助。例如，纽约罗切斯特大学医学中心的科学家对老鼠进行了一项研究，发现在睡眠中，老鼠的大脑会排出白天积聚的毒素。

更具体地说，研究发现睡眠会改变大脑的细胞结构。当小鼠处于睡眠或麻醉状态时，研究人员发现它们的脑细胞之间有更多的空间，这使得一种叫做glymphatic系统的大脑管道设备能够打开得很宽，让液体快速流过大脑。

其他研究表明，有毒分子在脑细胞之间的空间中积聚。罗切斯特大学的研究人员发现，当老鼠睡着时，这些分子从大脑中消失得更快。

那么这意味着什么呢？好吧，它可以为科学家提供新的方法来研究和潜在地治疗阿尔茨海默病等大脑疾病，通过靶向glymphatic系统，帮助其更好地清除大脑毒素。

1 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。

2 toxins   

n.毒素( toxin的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The seas have been used as a receptacle for a range of industrial toxins. 海洋成了各种有毒工业废料的大容器。
• Most toxins are naturally excreted from the body. 大部分毒素被自然排出体外。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 cellular   

adj.移动的；细胞的，由细胞组成的

参考例句：

• She has a cellular telephone in her car.她的汽车里有一部无线通讯电话机。
• Many people use cellular materials as sensitive elements in hygrometers.很多人用蜂窝状的材料作为测量温度的传感元件。

4 plumbing   

n.水管装置；水暖工的工作；管道工程v.用铅锤测量（plumb的现在分词）；探究

参考例句：

• She spent her life plumbing the mysteries of the human psyche. 她毕生探索人类心灵的奥秘。
• They're going to have to put in new plumbing. 他们将需要安装新的水管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

6 toxic   

adj.有毒的，因中毒引起的

参考例句：

• The factory had accidentally released a quantity of toxic waste into the sea.这家工厂意外泄漏大量有毒废物到海中。
• There is a risk that toxic chemicals might be blasted into the atmosphere.爆炸后有毒化学物质可能会进入大气层。

7 molecules   

分子( molecule的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The structure of molecules can be seen under an electron microscope. 分子的结构可在电子显微镜下观察到。
• Inside the reactor the large molecules are cracked into smaller molecules. 在反应堆里，大分子裂变为小分子。

8 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。