Paying over the odds¹ for a ticket to see a film in 3D is the bane of many a cinema-goer's life.

为了一张3D电影票而节衣缩食，省吃俭用，这是许多电影爱好者生活中的一大痛楚。

But there may be a benefit to doing so, as a study has claimed that 3D films exercise the brain and improve short-term functioning in a similar way to brain-training tests.

不过这样做也是有好处的，研究发现3D电影能使脑部得到锻炼，提高大脑的短期反应能力，与大脑操练题集起到相似的效果。

The research found that people who watched a movie in 3D had improved cognitive² skills compared to those who watched it in 2D.

研究发现观看3D电影的人在认知能力上有所提高，而观看2D电影的人则没有表现出这一发展。

More than 100 people took part in the experiment, where participants watched Disney film Big Hero 6 in either standard format³ or 3D.

超过100人参与了这项实验，参与者都观看了迪士尼出品的电影《超能陆战队》，有的观看了标准的二维版 ，有的则观看了3D版 。

They also carried out a brain-training-style test before and after seeing a segment from the film.The test covered memory, reaction times and cognitive function, and the results were subsequently compared.

在观看电影片段的前后，他们都接受了大脑技能测试，测试的形式与大脑操练题集类似，测试项目包括记忆力，反应速度和认知功能，研究人员随后将两组数据进行了对比。

According to the research participants experienced a 23 per cent increase in cognitive processing, as well as an 11 per cent increase in reaction times. Dr Fagan said that the results showed enough of an improvement in brain function to suggest that 3D could play a part in improving brain power in the future.

研究结果显示，参与者的认知能力提升了23%，在反应速度上提升了11%。 费根医生称，实验结果证明，3D电影能改善大脑功能，在未来可以作为一种强化大脑技能的重要手段。