听音乐或能降低老年痴呆风险

近日，一项发表于《国际老年精神病学杂志》的研究发现，经常听音乐的老年人比从不或偶尔听音乐的患痴呆症的可能性低39%。

今天你练听力了吗？

🤔️小作业：

1. What can be inferred about the group that both listened to and played music?

A. Their dementia risk reduction is lower than the combined effect of each activity separately.

B. Their lower risk proves that listening is more beneficial than playing.

C. They were excluded from the main dataset due to inconsistent responses.

D. Their cognitive benefits were attributed solely to episodic memory improvements.

无注释原文：

Listening to music most days could lower dementia risks for older adults, study suggests

From: Euronews

Dementia risks may be lower among ageing music fans, new research suggests.

Listening to music on a regular basis later in life could significantly reduce the risk of dementia, new research suggests.

The Australian research team analysed data from more than 10,800 adults aged 70 or older, and found that those who regularly listened to music had a 39 per cent lower likelihood of developing dementia compared with those who never or only occasionally listened to music.

People who always listened to music saw not only a lower incidence of dementia but also a 17 per cent reduction in cognitive impairment, higher overall cognitive scores, and improved episodic memory, which is used when recalling everyday events.

Meanwhile, playing a musical instrument was also associated with brain health benefits: a 35 per cent reduction in dementia risk.

People who both listened to and played music had a 33 per cent reduced risk of dementia and a 22 per cent lower risk of cognitive impairment.

The findings suggest “music activities may be an accessible strategy for maintaining cognitive health in older adults," said Emma Jaffa, one of the study's authors from Monash University.

However, the study authors cautioned that their findings are observational and cannot prove that listening to music actually reduces dementia risks or improves cognitive wellbeing.

The study has some limitations, notably the potential for selection bias, reliance on self-reported music habits, and the possibility of reverse causation – all of which "underscore the need for cautious interpretation," they said.

They said future research could investigate whether any particular music types are more closely linked to lower dementia risks.

The study comes as dementia's toll continues to grow around the world. More than 57 million people worldwide live with the condition, including an estimated 9.8 million in Europe. That number is expected to grow in the coming decades.

According to Alzheimer's Disease International, there are over 10 million new cases of dementia every year, which works out to one new case every 3.2 seconds.

- ◆ -

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：

Listening to music most days could lower dementia risks for older adults, study suggests

From: Euronews

Dementia risks may be lower among ageing music fans, new research suggests.

新研究显示，老年音乐爱好者罹患痴呆症的风险可能更低。

dementia /dɪˈmenʃə/ 表示“（尤指老年性）痴呆”，英文解释为“a medical condition that affects especially old people, causing the memory and other mental abilities to gradually become worse, and leading to confused behaviour”

Listening to music on a regular basis later in life could significantly reduce the risk of dementia, new research suggests.

新研究表明，晚年经常听音乐可能会显著降低患痴呆症的风险。

The Australian research team analysed data from more than 10,800 adults aged 70 or older, and found that those who regularly listened to music had a 39 per cent lower likelihood of developing dementia compared with those who never or only occasionally listened to music.

澳大利亚研究团队分析了超过1.08名70岁及以上老人数据，发现经常听音乐的人比从不或偶尔听音乐的人患痴呆症的可能性低39%。

People who always listened to music saw not only a lower incidence of dementia but also a 17 per cent reduction in cognitive impairment, higher overall cognitive scores, and improved episodic memory, which is used when recalling everyday events.

那些始终听音乐的人不仅罹患痴呆症的比例更低，还呈现出认知障碍降低17%、整体认知得分更高，以及用于回忆日常经历的情景记忆能力有所提升。

incidence /ˈɪn.sɪ.dəns/ 表示“事件；（事件的）发生率”，英文解释为“an event, or the rate at which something happens”举个🌰：There have been quite a few incidences of bullying in the school this year. 今年该校发生了好几起欺凌弱小的事件。

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。

impairment /ɪmˈpeə.mənt/ 表示“损伤，损害”，英文解释为“the act of spoiling something or making it weaker so that it is less effective”

表示“（身体机能的）障碍；损伤”，英文解释为“If someone has an impairment, they have a condition that prevents their eyes, ears, limbs or brain from working properly.”举个🌰： He has a visual impairment in the right eye. 他的右眼有视力损伤。

episodic /ˌep.ɪˈsɒd.ɪk/ 1）表示“偶尔发生的；不定期的”，英文解释为“happening only sometimes and not regularly”举个🌰：The war between these two countries has been long-drawn-out and episodic. 这两个国家之间时断时续的战争持续了好多年。

2）表示“（尤指电视或广播节目）有许多片段的”，英文解释为“Episodic stories are divided into several parts, especially when they are broadcast on the television or radio.”如：an episodic drama series 一部（分集的）连续剧。

Meanwhile, playing a musical instrument was also associated with brain health benefits: a 35 per cent reduction in dementia risk.

此外，研究发现会演奏乐器的人同样受益，其患痴呆风险下降约35%。

People who both listened to and played music had a 33 per cent reduced risk of dementia and a 22 per cent lower risk of cognitive impairment.

既听音乐又演奏乐器的人，患痴呆症的风险降低33%，认知受损风险降低22%。

The findings suggest “music activities may be an accessible strategy for maintaining cognitive health in older adults," said Emma Jaffa, one of the study's authors from Monash University.

莫纳什大学研究作者之一艾玛·贾法（Emma Jaffa）表示，这些发现表明，“音乐活动可能是一种维持老年人认知健康的易行策略”。

1）表示“可进入的，可接近的；可得到的”，英文解释为“able to be reached or easily got”举个🌰：The resort is easily accessible by road, rail, and air. 这个旅游胜地交通便利，坐汽车、火车和飞机都可以到达。

2）表示“可以理解的；易懂的”，英文解释为“easy to understand”举个🌰：He is a choreographer who believes in making dance accessible. 作为一个舞蹈编导，他为应该使舞蹈通俗易懂。

However, the study authors cautioned that their findings are observational and cannot prove that listening to music actually reduces dementia risks or improves cognitive wellbeing.

然而，研究作者提醒，由于研究性质为观察性，无法证明听音乐确实能降低痴呆风险或改善认知能力。

caution /ˈkɔː.ʃən/ 作名词，表示“谨慎，小心，慎重”，英文解释为“great care and attention”举个🌰：We need to proceed with/exercise caution (= be careful in taking action, making decisions, etc.) 我们必须谨慎行事。

作动词，表示“告诫，提醒”，英文解释为“to warn someone”举个🌰：The newspaper cautioned its readers against buying shares without getting good advice first. 报纸告诫读者事先没有获得好的建议，不要购买股票。

observational /ˌɒb.zəˈveɪ.ʃən.əl/ 表示“观察的，观测的”，英文解释为“involving watching someone or something carefully and closely, in order to learn something”举个🌰：Observational research uses data collected during routine clinical care. 观察性研究采用在日常临床护理中收集的数据。

The study has some limitations, notably the potential for selection bias, reliance on self-reported music habits, and the possibility of reverse causation – all of which "underscore the need for cautious interpretation," they said.

研究团队指出，该研究的局限包括样本选择偏差、自陈式音乐习惯的可靠性问题，以及可能存在的反向因果关系，因此“需谨慎解读”。

bias /ˈbaɪ.əs/ 作名词，表示“偏见；偏心；偏向”，英文解释为“a strong feeling in favour of or against one group of people, or one side in an argument, often not based on fair judgement”举个🌰：Employers must consider all candidates impartially and without bias. 雇主必须公平而毫无成见地考虑所有求职者。

作动词，表示“使…怀有偏见”，英文解释为“to cause someone or something to have a bias”举个🌰：The judge ruled that the information should be withheld on the grounds that it would bias the jury against the accused. 法官因该材料会导致陪审团产生不利于被告的偏见而责令将其收回。

biased，形容词，表示“偏袒一方的；有偏见的；倾向性的；片面的”，英文解释为“showing an unreasonable like or dislike for a person based on personal opinions”如：biased information/sources/press reports 片面的信息/消息来源/新闻报道。

reliance /rɪˈlaɪ.əns/ 表示“依赖，依靠；信任，信赖”，英文解释为“the state of depending on or trusting in something or someone”举个🌰：The region's reliance on tourism is unwise. 这一地区依赖旅游业谋发展是不明智的。

1）表示“失败；挫折”，英文解释为“a defeat or failure”举个🌰：They suffered a serious reverse. 他们遭受了一次重大的失败。也可以表示“相反的情况（或事物）；对立面”，英文解释为“the opposite of what has been suggested”

2）作动词，表示“（使）反向；（使）倒转；彻底改变；推翻”，英文解释为“to change the direction, order, position, result, etc. of something to its opposite”举个🌰：The new manager hoped to reverse the decline in the company's fortunes. 新经理希望能够扭转公司江河日下的状况。

causation /kɔːˈzeɪ.ʃən/ 表示“因果过程；因果关系”，英文解释为“the process of causing something to happen or exist”

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。

They said future research could investigate whether any particular music types are more closely linked to lower dementia risks.

团队指出，未来可继续探究是否存在某类音乐与痴呆风险降低之间存在更紧密的联系。

The study comes as dementia's toll continues to grow around the world. More than 57 million people worldwide live with the condition, including an estimated 9.8 million in Europe. That number is expected to grow in the coming decades.

该研究发布之际，全球痴呆症负担持续增加。目前全球超过5700万人患病，其中欧洲约980万人，未来几十年这一数字预计仍将上升。

toll /təʊl/ 1）表示“伤亡；损失；破坏”，英文解释为“suffering, deaths, or damage”，一般指“（死亡、事故或灾难的）总数”举个🌰：Independent sources say that the death toll from the earthquake runs into thousands. 独立消息人士称地震中的伤亡人数达到数千人。

2）表示“(道路或桥梁）收费；通行费”，英文解释为“A toll road or toll bridge is a road or bridge that you have to pay to use.”举个🌰：Most people who drive the toll roads don't use them every day. 大部分开车上收费公路的人不是每天都走公路。

3）作名词还可以表示“（缓慢的）钟声”，作动词，表示“（使）缓慢而反复地鸣响”，英文解释为“to (cause a large bell to) ring slowly and repeatedly”举个🌰：In the distance, a church bell tolled the hour (= showed the time by ringing). 远处传来教堂报时的钟声。

📍这个词来自古英语的“toll”，表示“支付小费”。现在用来表示“通行费”或“代价”。想象事故对他身体和精神上都付出了“沉重的代价”。同根词：tollbooth（收费站） 常用短语：take a toll on（对...产生不良影响）

According to Alzheimer's Disease International, there are over 10 million new cases of dementia every year, which works out to one new case every 3.2 seconds.

根据国际阿尔茨海默病协会数据，每年新增痴呆病例超过1000万，相当于每3.2秒就增加一例。

替表示“结果是；算下来”，英文解释为“to be the result of a calculation”举个🌰：The safe load for a truck of this size works out at nearly 20 tons. 这种大小的卡车的安全载重量算出来是将近20吨。In fact the trip worked out cheaper than we'd expected. 实际上，这次旅行花的钱比我们预计的少。

- 词汇盘点 -

- 词汇助记 By AI -

LearnAndRecord

2015年2月8日

2025年11月22日

第3941天

每天持续行动学外语