2022-06-29

人类的大脑像肌肉一样，需要不断地使用，才能变得更灵活，从而降低患智力退化类疾病的几率。现在，互联网上有各种宣称能帮助促进大脑功能的游戏。但一项新的报告表明，智力开发类游戏的效果实际不如我们预期的那样高。

If you don't use it, you lose it. At least, that's how the old aphorism1 goes. It refers to the idea that something which does not get utilised regularly quickly falls into a state of decline. For example, a hobby that you haven't done for a few years, like playing the trumpet2. You might find yourself a bit rusty3 the next time you pick one up – or maybe you've forgotten altogether!  Muscles are another example. They will waste away without use. In order to counteract4 this, people take regular exercise to keep their skills sharp.

Well, what about the brain? As we age, our brains can naturally begin to decline. In some cases this can lead to certain mental conditions such as dementia, which I'm sure you will agree, no one wants. However, all is not lost because these days it's relatively5 easy to train your brain. Smartphones and apps have put programmes into our hands that can