Tai chi may help reduce depression symptoms 太極拳可能有助減緩憂鬱症狀

新聞辭典

1. sustained：形容詞，持續的，持久的。例句：We must make a sustained effort to get this task finished this week.（我們必須持續努力，讓工作在本週內完成。）

2. follow-up assessment：學術名詞：跟進評估，追蹤評估。例句：Follow-up assessment is usually considered necessary.（追蹤評估總被視為必要。）

3. migraine：名詞，偏頭痛。例句：I suffer a lot from migraines.（我深受偏頭痛之苦。）

Practicing Tai Chi - an ancient Chinese martial art - can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and may be useful for people who tend to avoid conventional psychiatric treatments, a new study has found. 一項新研究發現，練習太極拳─一項中國古代武術─可以大幅減緩憂鬱症狀，而且可能有益於傾向避免傳統精神病治療的人們。

Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital enrolled 50 Chinese-American participants for the study. All of the volunteers had mild to moderate depression and were not receiving any other forms of treatment. They were placed at random in three groups. The first took part in Tai Chi, the second received educational therapy and the third was a control group. 麻省總醫院的研究人員徵集50名美籍華人參與研究。所有自願者都有輕微至中等的憂鬱，且未接受任何其他形式的治療。他們被隨機分成3組。第一組參與太極拳練習，第二組接受教育療法，第三組則為控制組。

The 12-week assessments showed that all 17 volunteers in the martial art had significantly greater improvement in depression symptoms than the other two groups. Follow-up assessment after six months showed sustained improvement, the report said.

為期12週的評量顯示，參與這項武術的17名自願者，憂鬱症狀都有顯著的改善，遠勝於其他兩組。報告指出，6個月後的追蹤評估顯示症狀持續獲得改善。

Previous studies have found that Tai Chi could better help patients suffering from five painful conditions - back pain, osteoarthritis, neck pain, fibromyalgia, and severe headaches and migraine. 先前的研究發現，太極拳可能幫助受5種疼痛症狀所苦的病患─背痛、骨性關節炎、頸部疼痛、纖維肌痛，以及嚴重的頭痛和偏頭痛。

Smart people are more likely to suffer from mental illness 聰明人更可能苦於精神疾病

新聞辭典

1. woe：名詞，痛苦，悲哀。例句：Mary’s life was full of woe.（瑪麗的生活充滿痛苦。）
2. susceptible：形容詞，易感染的，易罹患的。例句：Older patients are more susceptible to infections.（年老病患更易受到感染。）
3. jumpy：形容詞，神經質的，神經過敏的。例句：My mother gets very jumpy when she’s alone in the house.（當我母親一人在家時，她變得非常神經質。）

Intelligent people have double the risk of mental illness compared to their lesser-intelligent peers - and more often suffer anxiety-related physical woes, a new study has found.一項新研究發現，聰明人罹患精神疾病的風險高出兩倍，且更常受苦於焦慮相關的身體痛苦，相對於較不聰明的同輩而言。

Researchers surveyed 3,715 members of MENSA, where having a IQ of above 130 is a requirement. They were asked to report whether they had been diagnoses with mental illnesses, including anxiety, depression and other disorders. 研究人員對3715名智力評鑑機構「門薩國際」會員進行調查，其入會條件是智商130以上。他們被要求報告是否曾被診斷出精神疾病，包括焦慮、憂鬱或其他疾患。

The study found 20 percent of the intelligent group suffered anxiety and depression, compared to 10 percent of the general population. Intriguingly, the participants also seemed more susceptible to asthma, allergies and poor immunity. 研究發現，這個聰明團體中有20%的人受苦於焦慮與憂鬱，相較一般大眾的10%。有趣的是，這些受試者似乎也更易罹患氣喘、過敏且免疫力差。

The study showed that more intelligent people often have what is called a "hyperexcitable brain." This means that a higher IQ leads to a greater awareness of their surroundings and what is going on. This causes the central nervous system to be more reactive, making intelligent people more ’jumpy’. 研究顯示，較聰明的人通常擁有所謂「過度興奮的大腦」。這意味高智商導致他們更留意周遭和正在發生之事物。這造成中樞神經系統更有反應，使得聰明人更為「神經過敏」。