研究表明过度疲劳会改变大脑结构

近日，韩国延世大学研究人员用核磁共振扫描了每周工作52小时以上的32名劳动者和工作40小时的78名劳动者的大脑，结果表明，超负荷工作的劳动者脑额叶特定部位体积平均增加了19%左右。

今天你练听力了吗？

🤔️小作业：

1. Which of the following can be reasonably inferred from the article?

A. Only older workers are at risk of brain structure changes due to overwork.

B. The mental health impact of long working hours is more severe than its physical effects.

C. Overwork may cause cognitive and emotional consequences even in highly educated individuals.

D. MRI scans are not reliable in detecting emotional processing changes.

无注释原文：

Working long hours may alter brain structure, research suggests

From: The Independent

Working 52 hours or more per week may alter the structure of the brain, research suggests.

Experts found that being “overworked” may affect those parts of the brain related to problem-solving and memory, while also potentially affecting mental health.

The findings, published in the journal Occupational And Environmental Medicine, looked at the impact of overwork on specific brain regions in health workers who regularly clocked up a 52-hour week or more.

Researchers drew on data from a long-term study looking at worker health and used MRI scans to examine brain structure.

Some 110 workers were included in the final analysis, most of whom where clinicians.

Of these, 32 worked excessive weekly hours, while 78 worked standard hours.

Those putting in long working hours every week were significantly younger, had spent less time in work and were more highly educated than those clocking up standard hours.

The researchers, including from Yonsei University in South Korea, said: “Overworked individuals exhibited significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation.”

Analysis showed a 19% increase in left caudal middle frontal gyrus volume in the overworked group compared with the non-overworked group.

This part of the brain has a major role in various cognitive functions.

It is involved in attention, working memory, and language-related processing.

Other areas involved in attention, planning and decision-making were also changed according to the scans, plus regions involved in emotional processing, self-awareness and understanding social context.

The team concluded: “This study provides preliminary evidence that overwork is associated with structural brain changes, particularly in regions linked to cognition and emotion.”

“These findings provide novel neurobiological evidence linking prolonged working hours to structural brain changes, emphasising the need for further research to understand the long-term cognitive and emotional implications of overwork.”

“The results underscore the importance of addressing overwork as an occupational health concern and highlight the need for workplace policies that mitigate excessive working hours.”

Ruth Wilkinson, head of policy and public affairs at the charity the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said: “Global analysis from the World Health Organisation and International Labour Organisation has found that working long hours is on the increase and is responsible for about one-third of the total estimated work-related burden of disease.”

“We believe urgent action is needed to tackle an epidemic of long working hours.”

“A long hours culture can be experienced in what we've identified as the 'small print' of working life today.”

“This captures those hidden or unspoken expectations placed on top of workers' contracts.”

- ◆ -

注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考

含注释全文：

Working long hours may alter brain structure, research suggests

From: The Independent

Working 52 hours or more per week may alter the structure of the brain, research suggests.

有研究显示，每周工时超过52小时，可能会对大脑结构造成改变。

表示“（使）改变，更改，改动”，英文解释为“to become different; to make sb/sth different”举个🌰： We've had to alter some of our plans. 我们不得不对一些计划作了改动。

🎬电影《大侦探福尔摩斯》（Sherlock Holmes）中的台词提到：that will alter the very course of the world. 足以改变世界的力量。

Experts found that being “overworked” may affect those parts of the brain related to problem-solving and memory, while also potentially affecting mental health.

专家发现，“超负荷工作”可能会影响大脑中与解决问题和记忆相关的区域，同时也可能影响心理健康。

The findings, published in the journal Occupational And Environmental Medicine, looked at the impact of overwork on specific brain regions in health workers who regularly clocked up a 52-hour week or more.

这一研究成果发表于《职业与环境医学》（Occupational And Environmental Medicine）期刊，聚焦每周工作超过52小时的医务工作者，探讨过劳对大脑特定区域的影响。

Researchers drew on data from a long-term study looking at worker health and used MRI scans to examine brain structure.

研究人员借助利用一项长期追踪劳动者健康状况的研究数据，并通过核磁共振成像（MRI）探查大脑结构的变化。

Magnetic Resonance Imaging，表示“磁共振成像；核磁共振成像”，英文解释为“a method of using a strong magnetic field to produce an image of the inside of a person's body”

Some 110 workers were included in the final analysis, most of whom where clinicians.

研究最终纳入约110名被试者，大部分为临床医务人员。

clinician /klɪˈnɪʃ.ən/ 表示“临床医师”，英文解释为“someone, such as a doctor, who has qualifications in an area of very skilled health work”

Of these, 32 worked excessive weekly hours, while 78 worked standard hours.

在这些人中，有32人每周工作时间超出常规，而其余78人则维持在标准工时范围内。

Those putting in long working hours every week were significantly younger, had spent less time in work and were more highly educated than those clocking up standard hours.

与标准工时的从业者相比，那些每周工作时间较长的人普遍更年轻、工龄更短，学历相对更高。

The researchers, including from Yonsei University in South Korea, said: “Overworked individuals exhibited significant changes in brain regions associated with executive function and emotional regulation.”

来自韩国延世大学（Yonsei University）等机构的研究者指出：“超负荷工作的个体，其大脑中与执行能力和情绪调节相关的区域出现了显著变化。”

表示“展出，展览；展示；表现”，英文解释为“to show something publicly”举个🌰：He exhibited great self-control considering her rudeness. 她那么无礼，他表现出如此的克制力已很不错了。

📍表明，表示，展示出，显示，类似的有：show、find、demonstrate、exhibit，suggest。

Analysis showed a 19% increase in left caudal middle frontal gyrus volume in the overworked group compared with the non-overworked group.

分析显示，与非超负荷工作组相比，超负荷工作者大脑左侧中额回后部体积增加了19%。

caudal /ˈkɔː.dəl/ 表示“尾的；尾状的”，英文解释为“relating to the bottom end of the body, that is the bottom of the feet, or to the bottom end of the spinal cord”如：caudal anaesthesia 脊尾麻醉。

frontal /ˈfrʌn.təl/ 1）表示“前面的；前部的”，英文解释为“relating to the front of something”如：the frontal lobes/regions of the brain 大脑前叶/的前部区域。

2）表示“前额的”，英文解释为“relating to the forehead (= the flat part of the face, above the eyes and below the hair)”

gyrus /ˈdʒaɪ.rəs/ 表示“（拉丁语，用于医学术语）脑回”，英文解释为“one of the many rounded raised parts on the surface of the brain”

volume /ˈvɒl.juːm/ 作名词，1）表示“总数；总量；总额”，英文解释为“the number or amount of something in general”举个🌰：It's the sheer volume of traffic in the city that is causing the problems. 造成这些问题的就是城里的交通流量。

2）表示“容积；体积；容量”，英文解释为“the amount of space that is contained within an object or solid shape”举个🌰：Which of these bottles do you think has the greater volume? 你认为这些瓶子中哪个容积最大？

3）表示“卷；册”，英文解释为“one in a set of related books”也可以表示“书”，英文解释为“a book”如：如：a volume of poetry 一本诗集，举个🌰：She took a slim volume down from the shelf. 她从书架上取下一本很薄的书。

4）表示“音量；音量调节钮”，英文解释为“the level of sound produced by a television, radio, etc., or the switch or other device controlling this”举个🌰：Could you turn the volume down, please, I'm trying to sleep. 你能把音量调低些吗？我要睡觉。

This part of the brain has a major role in various cognitive functions.

这一大脑区域在多种认知功能中起着重要作用。

cognitive /ˈkɒɡ.nə.tɪv/ 表示“认知的；感知的；认识的”，英文解释为“Cognitive means relating to the mental process involved in knowing, learning, and understanding things.”举个🌰：As children grow older, their cognitive processes become sharper. 随着孩子们长大，他们的认知过程也变得越来越敏锐了。

It is involved in attention, working memory, and language-related processing.

它参与注意力、工作记忆和语言相关的处理。

Other areas involved in attention, planning and decision-making were also changed according to the scans, plus regions involved in emotional processing, self-awareness and understanding social context.

扫描结果还发现，其他涉及注意力、计划和决策的区域，以及参与情绪处理、自我意识和社交语境理解的区域也发生了变化。

The team concluded: “This study provides preliminary evidence that overwork is associated with structural brain changes, particularly in regions linked to cognition and emotion.”

研究团队总结道：“本研究初步表明，超负荷工作与大脑结构的变化存在关联，尤其影响与认知和情绪相关的区域。”

preliminary表示“预备性的；初步的；开始的”，英文解释为“happening before a more important action or event”如：preliminary results/findings/enquiries 初步结果/发现/调查，举个🌰：After a few preliminary remarks he announced the winners. 说了几句开场白之后，他即宣布优胜者名单。

“These findings provide novel neurobiological evidence linking prolonged working hours to structural brain changes, emphasising the need for further research to understand the long-term cognitive and emotional implications of overwork.”

“这些结果为长时间工作与大脑结构改变之间的关系提供了新的神经生物学证据，说明有必要开展更深入的研究，以揭示超负荷工作对长期认知与情绪的影响。”

prolonged /prəˈlɒŋd/ 表示“延续很久的，长期的”，英文解释为“continuing for a long time”举个🌰：Prolonged use of the drug is known to have harmful side-effects. 据了解，长期服用此药会产生对人体有害的副作用。

implication /ˌɪm.plɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ 1）表示“可能的影响（或作用、结果）”，英文解释为“a possible effect or result of an action or a decision”举个🌰：The development of the site will have implications for the surrounding countryside. 这个地点的开发将会影响周围的乡村。

2）表示“含意；暗指，暗示”，英文解释为“an occasion when you seem to suggest something without saying it directly”举个🌰：From what she said, the implication was that they were splitting up. 她的话中暗示他们将要分手。

“The results underscore the importance of addressing overwork as an occupational health concern and highlight the need for workplace policies that mitigate excessive working hours.”

“这些发现表明，有必要将超负荷工作视为职业健康议题，同时也凸显了出台缓解工作时间过长政策的紧迫性。”

underscore /ˌʌn.dəˈskɔːr/ 表示“突出显示；强调”，英文解释为“If something such as an action or an event underscores another, it draws attention to the other thing and emphasizes its importance.”举个🌰：The figures underscore the state of the economic recovery.数据突出显示了经济复苏的状态。

🎬电影《笔下求生》（Stranger Than Fiction）中的台词提到：lts desperate attempts to escape... only underscore the hopelessness of its plight. 它绝望的挣扎 只能强调它无望的处境。

mitigate /ˈmɪt.ɪ.ɡeɪt/ 表示“减轻，缓解，缓和”，英文解释为“to make a situation or the effects of something less unpleasant, harmful, or serious”举个🌰：Measures need to be taken to mitigate the environmental effects of burning more coal. 需要采取措施来减轻燃煤增加对环境造成的影响。

📍词根“mitig-”来自拉丁语“mitigare”，意味着“使柔和”，表示通过某种措施减轻不良影响或状况。近义词：alleviate（缓解），同根词：mitigation（缓解），常用短语：mitigate a problem（减轻问题）

Ruth Wilkinson, head of policy and public affairs at the charity the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, said: “Global analysis from the World Health Organisation and International Labour Organisation has found that working long hours is on the increase and is responsible for about one-third of the total estimated work-related burden of disease.”

职业安全与健康机构（Institution of Occupational Safety and Health）政策与公共事务主管露丝·威尔金森（Ruth Wilkinson）表示：“世界卫生组织和国际劳工组织的全球数据分析发现，工作过长的趋势愈发严重，并已成为全球三分之一工作相关疾病和健康问题的元凶。”

“We believe urgent action is needed to tackle an epidemic of long working hours.”

“我们认为需要立即采取行动来应对工作时间过长这一普遍现象。”

epidemic /ˌep.ɪˈdem.ɪk/ 1）表示“（疾病的）流行，传染”，英文解释为“the appearance of a particular disease in a large number of people at the same time”如：a flu epidemic 流感的传播。

2）表示“泛滥；蔓延”，英文解释为“a particular problem that seriously affects many people at the same time”如：a crime epidemic 犯罪频发。

“A long hours culture can be experienced in what we've identified as the 'small print' of working life today.”

“如今很多人都在经历一种长工时的文化，而这往往隐藏在职场里的‘潜规则’中。”

small print /ˈsmɔːl ˌprɪnt/ 表示“（正式合同中用较小的字体印刷、可能对签署者不利且易被忽略的）附属细则”，英文解释为“text in a formal agreement that is printed smaller than the rest of the text, sometimes in the hope that it will not be noticed”举个🌰：Don't sign anything until you've read the small print. 读完小号字印刷的附属细则之后再签字。

“This captures those hidden or unspoken expectations placed on top of workers' contracts.”

“虽然合同里没写，但员工却被默认为要承担这些额外的、不成文的规定。”

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