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电脑游戏可减缓老年人记忆力下降

　　The computer game's concept is relatively simple. Find thematching motor vehicle and road sign amid a series of increasingdistractions. Succeed and the challenge gets quicker andharder.

　　这款电脑游戏的理念十分简单，就是在干扰力度逐渐增大的情况下，准确地匹配汽车类型与路标。通过一关后，挑战难度和速度就会不断提高。

　　Cognitive-training games like this one, Double Decision, aredesigned to improve brain functions and are at the center of agrowing body of research looking at their effectiveness asscientists strive to find ways to ward off the cognitive declinesthat usually come with age。

　　认知训练类游戏专为改善大脑功能而设计，“三思而行”(DoubleDecision)就是其中之一。由于科学家们正努力寻找能够解决人们认知能力随年龄增长而下降的方法，越来越多的研究开始关注这类游戏的有效性。

　　A government-funded study published this month found thatplaying Double Decision can slow and even reverse declines in brainfunction associated with aging, while playing crossword puzzlescannot. The study builds on an earlier large trial which found thatolder people who played various cognitive games had betterhealth-related outcomes, driving records and performed better ateveryday tasks such as preparing a meal。

　　本月发表的一项研究显示，玩“三思而行”(DoubleDecision)能够减缓甚至扭转人们随着年龄增长而脑功能下降的趋势，而填字游戏却做不到这一点。该研究由政府资助，其结果来源于早先一次大规模的试验，该试验表明：玩过多种认知游戏的老年人具有更好的健康状况和驾驶记录；做饭等日常事务也表现得更出色。

　　Such research has led groups like AARP, the big seniors group,to jump on board and offer discounts for certain games that haveshown proven benefits。

　　这一研究致使大型老年人组织美国退休人员协会(AARP)也参与到实践中，向老人提供一些已经被证实具有良好效果的游戏产品，并为他们提供一定的折扣。

　　Doctors who work with the elderly say they get many questionsabout so-called brain games and exercises. Despite promising studyresults, some doctors say there still isn't enough evidence toprove such exercises will help people in everyday life。

　　与老人打交道的医生则对所谓的脑力游戏和训练产生了质疑。虽然研究结果十分明朗，但一些医生认为目前还没有足够的证据表明，这样的游戏训练能在日常生活给予人们帮助。

　　'What they do is they train you with a computer program to dobetter on a test' of cognitive function, said BarbaraMessinger-Rapport, director of the Center for Geriatric Medicine atthe Cleveland Clinic in Ohio. 'But does that mean you do better onreal-life activities that utilize those skills such as driving . ..or managing your medications?'

　　美国俄亥俄州克利夫兰医院(Cleveland Clinic)老年医学中心主任芭芭拉 梅新杰 拉波特(BarbaraMessinger-Rapport)说：“他们所做的无非是通过电脑程序来使得老人在认知测试上有较好的表现，但这并不意味着你在现实生活中也具有同样的认知能力，比如开车或者管理药物。”