单选题
People who are extremely careful and "finish what
they start" may have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according
to a study involving Catholic nuns and priests. The most
conscientious and self-disciplined individuals were found to be 89% less likely
to develop this form of dementia—deterioration of intellectual faculties, such
as memory, concentration, and judgment, resulting from an organic disease or a
disorder of the brain—than their peers over the course of the 12-year
study. Robert Wilson at Rush University Medical Center in
Chicago, Illinois, US, and colleagues followed 997 healthy Catholic nuns,
priests and Christian brothers between 1994 and 2006. Early on in the study,
participants completed a personality test to determine how conscientious they
were. Based on answers to 12 questions such as "I am a
productive person who always gets the job done", they received a score ranging
from 0 to 48. On average, volunteers scored 34 points in the test.
Volunteers also underwent regular neurological examinations and cognitive
tests. Over the lifetime of the study, 176 of the 997 participants developed
Alzheimer's disease. However, those with the highest score on the personality
test—40 points or above—had an 89% lower chance of developing the debilitating
condition than participants who received 28 points or lower.
"These are people who control impulses, and tend to follow norms and roles,"
Wilson told New Scientist. Previous studies suggest that
exercise and intellectual stimulation can decrease the risk of Alzheimer's
disease. But the link between self-discipline and a reduced risk of the illness
remained strong even after researchers discounted these factors from their
study. Subjects still had a 54% lower chance of developing the
condition. Exactly why conscientiousness should have an impact
on Alzheimer's risk remains unclear, says Wilson. He notes that brain autopsies
conducted on 324 of the study's participants failed to resolve the
mystery. Earlier work has linked the presence of plaques and
protein tangles within the brain to Alzheimer. Yet, in general, the brains of
those who scored highly on the conscientiousness test had as many plaques and
protein tangles as those of subjects who scored lower. Wilson
suggests that more careful and conscientious individuals may have more active
frontal brain regions, an area that is responsible for decision-making and
planning. Increased activity in this region may perhaps compensate for a decline
in function in other brain regions, he speculates. Based on the new findings,
doctors could perhaps consider certain patients at greater risk of dementia,
says Ross Andel at the University of South Florida, US. "This is a study about
identifying people at risk," he says.
单选题
How did the study evaluate every participant's sense of responsibility?
A. Through a 12-year observation.
B. On a neurological examination.
C. By a cognitive test.
D. By asking a group of questions.
【正确答案】
D
【答案解析】
单选题
Previous studies suggest
A. links between physical exercises and Alzheimer.
B. links between brain plaque and Alzheimer.
C. links between brain autopsies and Alzheimer.
D. links between self-discipline and Alzheimer.
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】
单选题
Which one of the following is NOT true about Robert Wilson at Rush
University?
A. He and his co-workers followed 997 healthy Catholic nuns, priests and
Christian brothers within 12 years.
B. He hasn't yet found out the underlying reasons why conscientiousness has
an impact on Alzheimer's risk.
C. He suggests that people with more active frontal brain regions are more
careful and conscientious.
D. He thinks that increased activity in frontal brain regions may compensate
for a decline in function in other brain regions.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】
单选题
This study aims to
A. help Catholic nuns and priests fight against Alzheimer.
B. explore the possible causes of dementia's risk.
C. find out who are at risk of developing a form of dementia.
D. determine the effects of the presence of brain plaques.
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】
单选题
According to the study, which one of the personalities below is more
closely related to Alzheimer's disease?