—— 选自 MDLinx 网站（吉玛译）
A new study published in theJournal of Cognitive Neuroscienceshows that vigorous exercise for a short period of time can boost the so-called interference memory. The research also points to a potential mechanism that may explain the findings.
发表在《认知神经科学》上的一项新研究表明，短时间的剧烈运动可以增强所谓的干扰记忆。这项研究还指出了可能解释研究结果的一个潜在机制。
Physical training also 'trains' your brain, new research shows.
新的研究显示，体能训练也能训练大脑。
Researchers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, reveal what intense, 20-minute bouts of exercise can do for our memory.
加拿大安大略省麦克马斯特大学的研究人员揭示了20分钟的剧烈运动对记忆力的有何作用。
The lead author of the new research is Jennifer Heisz, an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at McMaster University.
新研究的主要作者是詹妮弗·海斯兹，他是麦克马斯特大学运动学系的助理教授。
Heisz and her colleagues show that 20-minute daily sessions of interval training for 6 weeks dramatically improves performance in a so-called high-interference memory task.
海斯兹和她的同事们表示，在为期6周的间歇训练中，每天20分钟的训练可以显著提高所谓的高干扰记忆任务的表现。
The interference memory theory refers to the way in which information that we already know and have memorized may interfere with our ability to learn new material.
干扰记忆理论指的是我们已只并且已经记住的信息可能会干扰我们学习新信息的能力。
Good interference memory means that old knowledge works seamlessly with new information, enabling us, for example, to distinguish a new car from our old one, even if they are the same brand and model.
良好的干扰记忆意味着旧知识能与新信息无缝衔接，例如，这种干扰记忆使得我们可以将一辆新车与旧汽车区分开来，即使它们是同一品牌和型号。
Intense exercise boosts interference memory
剧烈运动可以增强干扰记忆
Heisz and her team recruited 95 young adult participants for their study. The participants engaged in one of the following three scenarios for a duration of 6 weeks: physical training plus cognitive training, physical training only, or no training at all.
海斯兹和她的团队招募了95名年轻的成年参与者进行他们的研究。参与者在为期六周的时间内参加以下三种情景之一:体能训练加认知训练，只接受体能训练，或根本不接受训练。
The physical exercise sessions consisted of 20 daily minutes of interval training.
体育锻炼包括每天20分钟的间歇训练。
Participants were also asked to take part in a high-interference memory task, wherein they tried to recognize pairs of matching faces from an array of very similar images.
要求参与者参与一项高干扰记忆任务，任务过程中，他们试图从一组非常相似的图像中辨认出配对的人脸。
The team also measured their levels of a protein calledbrain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), as well as insulin-like growth factor-1, both before and after the interventions.BDNF promotes the survival, growth, and maintenance of neurons.
研究小组在干预前后还测量了他们身体中的一种蛋白浓度，该蛋白叫做脑源性神经营养因子，胰岛素样生长因子。脑源性神经营养因子促进神经元的生存、生长和维持。
The researchers found that the group who had engaged in intense physical activity performed much better at the high-interference memory task and had higher levels of BDNF compared with the control group.
研究人员发现，与对照组相比，参与烈运动的人群在高干扰记忆任务中表现更好，胰岛素样生长因子浓度更高。
Additionally, the combined training group had similar performance levels with the exercise-only group.
此外，联合训练组与运动组有相似的表现水平。
Findings particularly important for seniors
这些发现对老年人尤其重要
"These findings are especially important, as memory benefits were found from a relatively short intervention," the authors emphasize.
“这些发现尤其重要，因为记忆力优势是在相对较短的干预中发现的，”作者强调。
"Improvements in this type of memory from exercise," explains Heisz, "might help to explain the previously established link between aerobic exercise and better academic performance."
海斯兹解释说:“这类记忆的改善有助于进一步解释有氧运动和优秀学习成绩之间预先建立的联系。”
The study also hints at a potential mechanism that may explain how exercise and brain training may work together to improve cognition.
该研究还暗示了一种潜在机制，可以解释锻炼和大脑训练如何协同工作来提高认知能力。
"Taken together, the results suggest that the potential for synergistic effects of combining exercise and cognitive training may depend on individual differences in the availability of neurotrophic factors induced by exercise," the authors conclude.
“综合来看，研究结果表明，运动和认知训练相结合的潜在协同效应可能取决于运动诱发的神经营养因子的个体差异，”作者总结道。
Heisz says that the findings may bring good news for older adults in particular, saying, "At the other end of our lifespan, as we reach our senior years, we might expect to see even greater benefits in individuals with memory impairment brought on by conditions such as dementia."
海斯兹说，这些发现可能会给老年人带来福音，他们说，“在我们生命的另一端，即当我们进入老年期时，我们可能会发现，诸如痴呆等病症带来的记忆障碍，可能会给我们个人带来更大的好处。”
"One hypothesis is that we will see greater benefits for older adults given that this type of memory declines with age," explains Heisz, whose team have already started to investigate this hypothesis.
海斯兹解释说:“一种假设是，老年人的记忆力随着年龄的增长而下降，这对于他们来说可能是有好处的。”他的研究小组已经开始研究这个假设。
"However," she notes, "the availability of neurotrophic factors also declines with age and this may mean that we do not get the synergistic effects."
“然而，”她指出，“神经营养因子的实用性也随着年龄的增长而下降，这可能意味着我们不能得到协同效应。”
Link：How 20 minutes of intense exercise can boost memory