Taking part in Tai Chi could help to combat depression, new research claims.

最新研究表明，打太极拳能帮助对抗抑郁。

Going to classes in the ancient Chinese martial¹ art for 12 weeks significantly reduced symptoms of the blues².

参加这门古代中国武术（太极拳）的课程12周就能明显减轻抑郁症状。

It can work independently of treatment, suggesting it can scupper the need for an antidepressant prescription³, the small study shows.

一项小型研究显示，太极拳练习可用于独立治疗，也就是说患者无需服用抗抑郁药物。

The findings hold promise amid soaring rates of depression worldwide, with drugs and therapy often proving ineffective.

从全世界范围来看，抑郁症的发病率不断上升，药物和各种治疗经常证明无效，而这一研究发现给人们带来了希望。

The meditative⁴ practice, which has been used for more than 1,000 years, combines deep breathing and slow and gentle movements.

太极拳能让人在运动中冥想，已有超过1000年历史，它将深呼吸和缓慢温和的运动结合起来。

Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital enrolled⁵ 50 Chinese-American participants for the study.

麻省综合医院的研究人员招募了50名美籍华人参与了这项研究。

All of the volunteers had mild to moderate depression and were not receiving any other forms of treatment at the time.

所有的志愿者都有轻度到中度抑郁，而且受试时未接受任何其他形式的抑郁治疗。

They were placed at random⁶ in three groups. The first took part in Tai Chi, a second received educational therapy and the third was a control group.

他们被随机分为三组。第一组参加太极拳练习，第二组接受教育治疗，第三组是实验对照组。

Those given Tai Chi were taught basic traditional movements and asked to practice three times a week.

太极拳练习组的成员学习了基本的太极拳动作，并按照要求每周练习三次。

All 17 volunteers in the martial art reported significantly greater improvement in depression symptoms than the other two groups.

与另外两组相比，所有的17名太极拳组成员的抑郁症状都得到了显著改善。

Follow up assessment⁷ after six months showed sustained improvement, the report published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry⁸ states.

研究报告称，半年后的跟踪评估显示，受试者的抑郁症状得到持续改善。这份研究报告发表在《临床神经病学杂志》上。

Lead author Professor Albert Yeung said if the findings are confirmed in other trials, it could be used as a primary treatment.

报告的主要作者艾伯特-杨教授说，如果这一发现在其他研究中得以证实，就可以用来进行对抑郁症的初步治疗。

While he said that the results of the study were important due to many adults of Chinese American ethnicity deciding not to seek help with depression.

他表示，这一研究成果非常重要，因为很多美籍华人患了抑郁症一般都选择不寻求治疗。

Professor Yeung added: 'Finding Tai Chi can be effective is particularly significant because it is culturally accepted by this group of patients who tend to avoid conventional psychiatric treatment.'

杨教授补充说：“太极拳对缓解抑郁有效这一发现非常重要，因为美籍华人中的抑郁症人群常常不想做传统的精神病学治疗，而太极拳对他们来说在文化角度来看是可以接受的。”

Previous research has shown Tai Chi makes the brain bigger and improves memory and thinking - possibly delaying the onset⁹ of dementia.

此前研究表明，练习太极拳可以使脑容量更大，改善记忆力和思维能力，因此有可能延缓痴呆症的发作。

The devastating¹⁰ neurological condition is associated with increasing shrinkage of the brain, as nerve cells and their connections are gradually lost.

这种毁灭性的神经症状与脑容量日益缩小有关，神经细胞以及它们之间的连接逐渐丧失。

Tai Chi has also been linked with reducing high blood pressure and relieving symptoms of cancer, heart failure, osteoarthritis and chronic¹¹ obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

练习太极拳还可以降低血压，缓解癌症、心力衰竭、骨关节炎和慢性阻塞性肺病的症状。