Stroke patients are more likely to regain their cognitive functions if they speak more than one language, new research has discovered.
最新研究發現，如果中風患者會說不只一種語言，那么他們更有可能恢復認知能力。

A study of more than 600 stroke victims found 40.5% of those who are multilingual had normal mental functions afterwards, compared to 19.6% of patients who only speak one language.
這項針對600多名中風患者的研究發現，會說多種語言的人中，有40.5%的人病后恢復了到了正常心智，而只會說一種語言的病人中，19.6%的人恢復了正常心智。

The study was carried out by a team from the University of Edinburgh together with the Nizam Institute of Medical Sciences in Hyderabad - with the Indian city chosen as the location for the study because its multi-cultural nature means many languages are commonly spoken.
發布該研究的團隊來自愛丁堡大學和印度海得拉巴市的尼扎姆醫學研究所。之所以選擇印度城市海得拉巴作為研究對象，是因為多元的文化使得多語人士在當地很常見。

Researchers took into account other factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and age to ensure results could not be attributed to having a healthier lifestyle.
研究人員將其他因素也列入考慮范圍，比如吸煙、高血壓、糖尿病和年齡等，以確保該研究結果與更健康的生活方式無關。

The study, published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke, found 'results support the notion of a protective role of bilingualism in the development of post-stroke cognitive impairment'.
研究發表在美國心臟協會的《中風》雜志上，研究發現：“該結果肯定了這一概念——雙語對中風后認知障礙的發展具有保護作用。”

It is the first time a study has been done looking at the relationship between the number of languages spoken and a patient's cognitive outcome after stroke.
這是首次有研究關注“會說幾種語言”與“中風后患者的認知程度”之間的關系。

'The percentage of patients with intact cognitive functions post-stroke was more than twice as high in bilinguals than in monolinguals,' the paper said.
該論文稱，“中風后認知功能未受損的雙語患者的百分比數量是單語患者的兩倍多。”

'In contrast, patients with cognitive impairment were more common in monolinguals.'
“相反，認知功能障礙在單語患者中更常見。”

Researchers believe the study, which was funded by the Indian Council of Medical Research, suggests the mental challenge of speaking multiple languages can boost cognitive reserve - an improved ability of the brain to cope with damaging influences such as stroke or dementia.
這項調查由印度醫學研究委員會提供資金支持。研究人員認為，該研究說明多語能力對神經構成一種挑戰，該挑戰提高了認知儲備——進而改進了大腦功能，能應對像中風或癡呆這種疾病的破壞性影響。

Co-author Thomas Bak, of the University of Edinburgh's school of philosophy, psychology and language sciences said: 'Bilingualism makes people switch from one language to another, so while they inhibit one language, they have to activate another to communicate.
共同作者之一、愛丁堡大學哲學、心理學和語言科學學院的托馬斯·鮑克說：“雙語讓人們從一種語言轉換到另一種語言，所以當一種語言被抑制時，他們不得不用另一種語言去交流。”

'This switching offers practically constant brain training which may be a factor in helping stroke patients recover.'
“這種轉換提供了幾乎連續不斷的大腦訓練，這可能是幫助中風患者恢復的一個因素。”

Vocabulary
cognitive function：認知功能
stroke：中風
diabetes：糖尿病

英文來源：每日郵報
譯者：張卉
審校&編輯：杜娟