研究称第二次怀孕会继续重塑大脑

今天你练听力了吗？

🤔️小作业：

1. What does the difference in brain changes between first and second pregnancies suggest?

A. The brain adapts differently depending on prior maternal experience

B. Pregnancy progressively damages neural networks

C. Brain development stops after the first pregnancy

D. Sensory processing becomes less important in later pregnancies

无注释原文：

Second Pregnancy Does Something Unique to The Brain, Study Reveals

From: ScienceAlert

A second pregnancy alters the brain in distinctive ways that are not simply a repeat of the first, new research shows.

Compared with women having their first child and those who had never given birth, the shifts in brain matter documented by a team from the Netherlands indicate some natural 'fine-tuning' that may be occurring in preparation for bringing up a second child.

And it builds on earlier findings from the same researchers, which showed that a first pregnancy can lead to significant changes in the brain's default mode network, responsible for functions related to self-reflection and social interaction.

"The majority of women become pregnant one or more times in their lives, but only now are researchers beginning to unravel how this affects the female brain," says neuroscientist Elseline Hoekzema, from the Amsterdam University Medical Center.

"Each pregnancy leaves a unique mark on the female brain."

The team analyzed brain scans from 30 women before and after their second pregnancy, comparing them to scans from 40 women before and after their first pregnancy, and scans from 40 women who have never given birth.

While a second pregnancy also led to changes in the default mode network, they weren't as noticeable as those for a first pregnancy. In women having their second child, the largest shifts were observed in brain regions that respond to visual and auditory stimuli and direct attention.

"A second pregnancy changes a woman's brain," the study authors write, "and uniquely impacts its gray matter structure, neural network organization, and white matter tracts."

The researchers also noticed significant drops in the volume of gray matter in both first and second pregnancies, something they put down to an increase in neuroplasticity – similar to changes during adolescence – rather than neurodegeneration.

Overall, the second pregnancy picture shows a brain repeating some of the adaptations from the first pregnancy, along with additional refinements that may be required to raise two kids rather than just one.

"It seems that during a second pregnancy, the brain changes more significantly in networks involved in responding to sensory stimuli and directing your attention," says neuroscientist and first author Milou Straathof, from the Amsterdam University Medical Center.

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注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为机器翻译，仅供参考

含注释全文：

Second Pregnancy Does Something Unique to The Brain, Study Reveals

From: ScienceAlert

A second pregnancy alters the brain in distinctive ways that are not simply a repeat of the first, new research shows.

最新研究显示，第二次怀孕会以独特方式改变大脑，而这种变化并不是第一次怀孕时变化的简单重复。

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。

distinctive /dɪˈstɪŋk.tɪv/ 表示“与众不同的，独特的，特别的”，英文解释为“Something that is distinctive is easy to recognize because it is different from other things.”如：adistinctive smell/taste 特别的气味/味道。

Compared with women having their first child and those who had never given birth, the shifts in brain matter documented by a team from the Netherlands indicate some natural 'fine-tuning' that may be occurring in preparation for bringing up a second child.

荷兰一支研究团队记录到的大脑结构变化显示，与初次生育的女性以及从未生育的女性相比，二胎孕期的大脑似乎会进行某种自然的“微调”，为抚养第二个孩子做准备。

fine-tune /ˌfaɪnˈtʃuːn/ 表示“对…进行微调”，英文解释为“to make very small changes to something in order to make it work as well as possible”举个🌰：She spent hours fine-tuning her speech. 她花了好几个小时对自己的讲稿作细微的修改润饰。

And it builds on earlier findings from the same researchers, which showed that a first pregnancy can lead to significant changes in the brain's default mode network, responsible for functions related to self-reflection and social interaction.

这一发现也延续了该团队此前的研究：第一次怀孕会显著改变大脑的默认模式网络，而该网络与自我反思和社交等功能密切相关。

default /dɪˈfɒlt/ 在计算机上非常常见的一个词，表示“默认，默认值；预置值；缺省值”，英文解释为“In computing, the default is a particular set of instructions which the computer always uses unless the person using the computer gives other instructions.”比如：默认设置 default settings；

另外，它还有完全不搭嘎的意思，作动词和名词表示“债务违约，拖欠”，英文解释为“failure to pay money that you owe at the right time”，如：the risk of default by borrowers 借款人不偿还欠款的风险，举个🌰：He defaulted on his child support payments. 他拖欠子女抚养费。

"The majority of women become pregnant one or more times in their lives, but only now are researchers beginning to unravel how this affects the female brain," says neuroscientist Elseline Hoekzema, from the Amsterdam University Medical Center.

阿姆斯特丹大学医学中心神经科学家Elseline Hoekzema表示：“大多数女性一生中都会经历一次或多次怀孕，但研究人员直到近年才开始逐步揭示怀孕对女性大脑产生的影响。”

unravel /ʌnˈræv.əl/ 1）表示“揭开，弄清，阐明（谜团或复杂问题）；被澄清；被解决”，英文解释为“If you unravel a mysterious, unknown, or complicated subject, you make it known or understood, and if it unravels, it becomes known or understood.”举个🌰：We have a long way to go before we unravel the secrets of genetics. 在揭开遗传学之谜前，我们还有很长的路要走。

2）表示“（把布、结或线团）解开；拆散”，英文解释为“If a piece of knitted or woven cloth, a knot, or a mass of thread unravels, it separates into a single thread, and if you unravel it, you separate it into a single thread.”举个🌰：You'd better mend that hole before the whole sweater starts to unravel. 你最好把那个洞补上，免得整件毛衣脱线。

3）表示“破坏（成就等）；解体；崩溃；瓦解”，英文解释为“to start to fail or no longer stay together as a whole”举个🌰：As talks between them broke down, several months of careful diplomacy were unravelled. 由于他们之间的会谈破裂，几个月精心策划的外交努力付诸东流。

neuroscientist /ˌnjʊə.rəʊˈsaɪ.ən.tɪst/ 表示“神经科学家”，英文解释为“a scientist who studies the nervous system and the brain”举个🌰：Neuroscientists are able to record the firing of a single nerve cell. 神经科学家能够记录单个神经元发出的信号。

"Each pregnancy leaves a unique mark on the female brain."

“每一次怀孕都会在女性大脑中留下独特的痕迹。”

The team analyzed brain scans from 30 women before and after their second pregnancy, comparing them to scans from 40 women before and after their first pregnancy, and scans from 40 women who have never given birth.

研究团队分析了30名女性在第二次怀孕前后的脑部扫描数据，并将其与40名女性第一次怀孕前后的扫描以及40名从未生育女性的扫描进行比较。

While a second pregnancy also led to changes in the default mode network, they weren't as noticeable as those for a first pregnancy. In women having their second child, the largest shifts were observed in brain regions that respond to visual and auditory stimuli and direct attention.

研究显示，第二次怀孕同样会影响默认模式网络，但变化程度不如第一次明显。在怀第二个孩子的女性中，最显著的变化出现在负责处理视觉、听觉刺激并调控注意力的脑区。

auditory /ˈɔː.dɪ.tər.i/ 表示“听的；听觉的”，英文解释为“of or about hearing”举个🌰：It's an artificial device that stimulates the auditory areas of the brain. 这个人工装置是用来刺激大脑听觉区域的。

很有意思的一个词，单数 stimulus /ˈstɪmjʊləs/，复数 stimuli /ˈstɪm.jʊ.laɪ/，没错有s的是单数。表示“刺激（物），激励（物）；促进因素”，英文解释为“something that causes growth or activity; something that causes part of the body to react”

"A second pregnancy changes a woman's brain," the study authors write, "and uniquely impacts its gray matter structure, neural network organization, and white matter tracts."

研究作者写道：“第二次怀孕会改变女性的大脑，并对其灰质结构、神经网络组织以及白质通路产生独特影响。”

美式 gray matter 英式grey matter /ˈɡreɪ ˌmæt.ər/ 表示“（大脑和脊髓中的）灰质”，英文解释为“the darker tissue containing nerve fibres (= structures like threads) found in the brain and spinal cord”

tract /trækt/ 表示“（人或动物体内的）管，道，束”，英文解释为“a system of connected tubes and organs with a particular function inside the body of a person or an animal ”如：the urinary / respiratory / digestive tract 尿道 / 呼吸道 / 消化道。

The researchers also noticed significant drops in the volume of gray matter in both first and second pregnancies, something they put down to an increase in neuroplasticity – similar to changes during adolescence – rather than neurodegeneration.

研究人员还发现，在第一次和第二次怀孕期间，大脑灰质体积均明显减少。他们认为，这反映的是神经可塑性的增强——类似青春期的大脑变化——而非神经退行性损伤。

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。

神经功能重塑（neuroplasticity）是《全科医学与社区卫生名词》第一版（2014年）中定义的全科医学与社区卫生领域术语，指神经控制功能受损后，神经组织通过自我调控和代偿产生的适应性改变。

adolescence /ˌædəˈles(ə)ns/ 表示“青春期”，英文解释为“Adolescence is the period of your life in which you develop from being a child into being an adult.”

Overall, the second pregnancy picture shows a brain repeating some of the adaptations from the first pregnancy, along with additional refinements that may be required to raise two kids rather than just one.

总体来看，第二次怀孕时的大脑既会重复第一次怀孕形成的一些适应性变化，同时也会进行额外的调整，以适应抚养两个孩子而不仅仅是一个孩子的需求。

"It seems that during a second pregnancy, the brain changes more significantly in networks involved in responding to sensory stimuli and directing your attention," says neuroscientist and first author Milou Straathof, from the Amsterdam University Medical Center.

阿姆斯特丹大学医学中心神经科学家、论文第一作者Milou Straathof表示：“在第二次怀孕期间，大脑中负责对感官刺激作出反应并引导注意力的神经网络，似乎会发生更为显著的变化。

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