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Multitasking is equally difficult for men and women — but can be improved. 不论男女，一心多用都是件困难的事– 但有提高的办法 Physical fitness increases multitasking skills by increasing the size of crucial areas of the brain, a new study finds. 新近实验发现，健壮的身材有助于增加大脑关键区域的面积，从而提高一心多用的能力 Neuroscientists found larger gray matter volume in several brain areas of those who had higher cardiorespiratory fitness. 神经学家发现，那些做心肺功能锻炼人的脑部有些区域灰质含量较高。 These brain areas help boost both reasoning and problem-solving. 这些区域帮助提高理性思考和解决问题的能力。 The study gave 128 older adults a so-called ‘dual-task’ test. 本次研究对128名老年人进行了“双任务”的测试。 This is similar to testing people’s ability to ‘multitask’ — something men and women both find difficult. 这和测试人们“一心多用”的实验相似– 实验中。男性女性都发现有些事情特别困难。 Ms Chelsea Wong, the study’s first author, explained: 本实验第一作者，Chelsea Wong女士解释道： “The reason we looked at dual-task specifically is because it’s a measure of executive function, which is required for multiple cognitive processes, such as working memory, task management, coordination, and inhibition. “我们此次用双任务的模式，是因为这是一种衡量执行能力的方式。实验要求多重认知过程，例如工作记忆力，任务管理力，协调能力和抑制能力。 We know that as people age, executive function declines, so we found that with higher cardiorespiratory fitness, you can enhance executive function performance behaviorally as well as executive function-related brain activation.” 我们知道，当人步入老年，执行力下降，所以我们发现较强心肺功能的对象，行为上和相关脑部活跃度都具有相更出色的表现。” Brain scans revealed that fitter people had larger volumes in the anterior cingulate cortex and the supplementary motor area (ACC/SMA). 脑部扫描显示，更健壮身材的人具有很多的前扣带脑皮质和辅助运动区（ACC/SMA）。 Ms Wong explained its significance: Wong女士解释其关键点： “It’s an important area for higher level functions, such as conflict monitoring, multitasking, and dual-task processing itself.” “这些脑部区域关系到更高层次运作，例如发掘矛盾，一心多用，和双任务等。” Professor Art Kramer, an expert on brain aging and neuroplasticity who led the study, said: 主导本次实验的脑组织老化和神经重塑领域专家，Art Kramer教授说到： “This research adds to our growing understanding of the relationship among physical activity and cognitive and brain function–and suggests that we can improve our brain health by changing our lifestyle even as we age.” “本次实验让我们对身体锻炼，认知能力和脑部功能几方面的联系有了更多的了解– 这也说明，即使在我们年迈的时候，我们可以通过改变自己生活方式来改善我们大脑的健康状况。” The study was published in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience (Wong et al., 2015). 本次研究发布在《Aging Neuroscience》期刊的首页。 |
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