Sleep loss may be more serious than previously thought, causing a permanent loss of brain cells, research suggests.
In mice, prolonged lack of sleep led to 25 percent of certain brain cells dying, according to a study in The Journal of Neuroscience.
If the same is true in humans, it may be futile to try to catch up on missed sleep, say US scientists.
They think it may one day be possible to develop a drug to protect the brain from the side-effects of lost sleep.
The study looked at lab mice that were kept awake to replicate the kind of sleep loss common in modern life, through night shifts or long hours in the office.
A team at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine studied certain brain cells which are involved in keeping the brain alert.
After several days of sleep patterns similar to those followed by night workers — three days of night shifts with only four to five hours sleep in 24 hours — the mice lost 25 percent of the brain cells.
(Liberty Times)
研究顯示，喪失睡眠會導致大腦細胞永久流失，可能比過去想像的還要嚴重。
針對老鼠的實驗顯示，長期缺乏睡眠導致百分之二十五的特定大腦細胞垂死，根據《神經科學期刊》刊登的研究。
如果相同的情況發生在人類身上，試圖彌補失去的睡眠可能沒有用，美國科學家說。
他們認為，未來或許可能研發出能保護大腦不受喪失睡眠副作用影響的藥物。
這份研究觀察保持醒覺的實驗室老鼠，複製現代生活中因上夜班或長時間工作而常見的喪失睡眠情況。
賓州大學醫學院的團隊，研究與保持大腦警覺相關的大腦細胞。
經過幾天類似夜間工作者的睡眠模式，也就是三天上夜班、每二十四小時只睡四到五小時，老鼠喪失百分之二十五的大腦細胞。
（自由時報／翻譯：自由時報國際新聞中心）
TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字
今日單字
1. prolonged adj. 長期的
例: Prolonged use of the drug is known to have harmful side-effects.
(長期使用藥物已知會有不良副作用。)
2. futile adj.無益的
例: It’s quite futile trying to reason with him. He just won’t listen.
(跟他講理沒有用，他不會聽。)
3. catch up v. phr.趕上
例: He was off school for a while and is finding it hard to catch up.
(他離開學校一陣子，現在發現很難趕上。)
BONUS:
A : We have to go back to work tomorrow.
B : I know. It feels like the weekend goes by so incredibly fast.
A : It’s kind of depressing.
B : Try to get to bed earlier tonight. Be sure to get plenty of rest so you can give it your best tomorrow.
A : 明天又要上班了。
B : 對啊！感覺假日時間過超快的。
A : 真令人提不起勁。
B : 今晚早點休息養足精神，明天好好加油吧！
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