Hop¹ compound boosts brain function - but you'd need to drink 3,500 PINTS³ a day

啤酒能让你更聪明吗?啤酒花中所含的化学物质能刺激大脑功能-前提是每天喝3500品脱。

Beer, or at least one of its ingredients, could boost brain function, a new study has found.

啤酒或者至少啤酒的一个成分能提高大脑功能。

But a leisurely⁴ pint² is unlikely to have any intellectual benefit, because a person would need to drink the equivalent of 3,520 pints (2,000 litres) a day to stand any chance of boosting their cognitive⁵ abilities.

但是，如果仅仅是全为消遣而喝下的一品托啤酒是不会起到任何智力上的增强作用的。一个人一天起码要喝下相当于3250品脱（2000升）的啤酒才有可能使大脑的认知能力得到增强。

Researchers demonstrated that xanthohumol – a type of flavonoid found in hops⁶ and beer - improved cognitive function in young mice.

研究者证明xanthohumol——一种在啤酒花和啤酒中发现的类黄酮——能够改善年轻的小老鼠认知功能。

Flavonoids are compounds found in plants that often give them their colour and scientists have been studying them in blueberries, dark chocolate and red wine to uncover any potential benefits that could help fight cancer and heart disease, for example.

类黄酮是一种常见于植物自身着色用的化合物，科学家正在研究蓝莓，黑巧克力和红酒中所含的类黄酮以揭秘类黄酮对于治疗癌症，心血管类疾病等的潜在效益。

Scientists hope that xanthohumol could be used to treat metabolic⁷ syndrome⁸, a condition associated with obesity⁹ and high blood pressure, as well as age-related deficits¹⁰ in memory. The rare micronutrient is found in the hops, commonly used to make beer.

科学家们希望黄腐酚可以用来治疗代谢综合征、肥胖和高血压相关症状以及与记忆力因老化衰退。在常用的啤酒和啤酒花中发现含微量的营养物质。

Experts at Oregon State University (OSU) believe they have taken a step to understanding the degradation¹¹ of memory that happens with age in many mammals, including humans, because no effect was seen in older mice used in the study.

俄勒冈州立大学的教授认为，他们已经开始研究为什么常见于包括人类在内的大多数哺乳动物的衰老造成的记忆力减退的状况却在试验用的年老老鼠身上没有发生。

They studied xanthohumol in high dosages - beyond what would be naturally ingested as part of a normal diet - and found that it appears to enhance young animals’ ability to adapt to changes in their environment.

他们研究了黄腐酚高剂量-超出了正常饮食会自然摄入的一部分,并发现它似乎增强年轻动物适应环境变化的能力。

The cognitive flexibility¹² of the mice was tested with a specially¹³ designed maze¹⁴ and younger mice showed signs of intellectual improvement.

在为小鼠的认知灵活性测试特别设计的迷宫中,年轻的老鼠表现出认知进步的迹象。

The levels of xanthohumol used in the study were only possible using supplements, so that if a human was to stand any chance of seeing positive cognitive effects, they would have to drink ‘2,000 litres of beer a day to reach the xanthohumol levels we used in this research,’ the experts said.

因用于该项研究的黄腐酚量很大，只可能使用浓量高的制剂才能满足研究的所需量，所以，如果要对人的认知起到积极效果，一天就得喝2000升啤酒才能达到我们用于这项研究的黄腐酚量。

‘Xanthohumol can speed the metabolism¹⁵, reduce fatty acids in the liver and, at least with young mice, appeared to improve their cognitive flexibility, or higher level thinking,’ Daniel Zamzow, a former OSU doctoral student said.

“黄腐酚可以加快新陈代谢，减少肝部脂肪酸。并且在试验中，年轻的老鼠展现出了认知能力的提高以及更高层次的思维能力。”丹尼尔 扎姆卓尔，前俄勒冈州立大学博士研究生说。

‘Unfortunately it did not reduce palmitoylation [a normal biological process] in older mice, or improve their learning or cognitive performance, at least in the amounts of the compound we gave them,’ Dr Zamzow, who is now a lecturer at the University of Wisconsin/Rock County, added.

“不幸的是它并没有降低老年老鼠的棕榈酰化(一个正常的生物过程),或者改善他们的学习认知能力,至少在我们给他们的化合物的数量上,”现在是威斯康辛大学的讲师的扎姆卓尔博士补充道。

Kathy Magnusson, a professor at OSU, said: ‘This flavonoid [xanthohumol] and others may have a function in the optimal¹⁶ ability to form memories.’

所以马格努松凯西,俄勒冈州立大学教授说:“这类黄酮和其他物质可能在形成最佳形式的记忆能力方面有作用。”

‘Part of what this study seems to be suggesting is that it’s important to begin early in life to gain the full benefits of healthy nutrition.’

“这项研究也表明了在生命初期，即年轻时期，摄入足够健康营养物质的重要性及益处。”