How does the brain age across the lifespan? New studies offer clues.
Our brains are built to change over our lifetime, meeting the challenges set by every life stage.
By Caitlin Gilbert, The Washington Post, Published Feb. 28, 2023
1. downhill /ˌdaʊnˈhɪl/ adj. 下坡的
○ going or sloping towards the bottom of a hill
○ e.g. a downhill path 下山的路
○ be all downhill 每况愈下，走下坡路，不断恶化
○ (informal) to become worse or less successful
○ e.g. It's been all downhill for his career since then, with four defeats in five games. 从那以后，他的职业生涯开始走下坡路，5 场比赛 4 场失利。
2. keep up with sb./sth. (keep up with) 跟上、持平
○ to move, make progress or increase at the same rate as sb./sth.
○ e.g. I can't keep up with all the changes. 并非所有的变化我都能跟得上。
○ e.g. Wages are not keeping up with inflation. 工人的收入赶不上通货膨胀。
3. metric (metrics) /ˈmetrɪk/ n. 衡量标准，衡量指标
○ a set of numbers or statistics used for measuring sth., especially results that show how well a business, school, computer program, etc. is doing
○ e.g. There are a lot of different metrics on which to gauge success. 衡量成功有很多不同的标准。
4. fetus /ˈfiːtəs/ n. 胎儿，胎
○ a young human or animal before it is born, especially a human more than eight weeks after fertilization
5. cerebral /səˈriːbrəl/，/ˈserəbrəl/ adj. 大脑的，脑的
○ relating to the brain
○ e.g. a cerebral haemorrhage 脑溢血
6. cortex /ˈkɔːteks/ n. 皮层，（尤指）大脑皮层
○ (anatomy) the outer layer of an organ in the body, especially the brain
○ e.g. the cerebral cortex 大脑皮层
7. wrinkle (wrinkled) /ˈrɪŋkl/ v.（使脸上）起皱纹，皱起
○ to make the skin on your face form into lines or folds; to form lines or folds in this way
○ e.g. He wrinkled his brow in concentration. 他全神贯注，眉头紧锁。
8. ventricle (ventricles) /ˈventrɪkl/ n. 心室
○ (anatomy) either of the two lower spaces in the heart that pump blood to the lungs or around the body
9. cavity (cavities) /ˈkævəti/ n. 洞，腔
○ (formal or specialist) a hole or empty space inside sth. solid
○ e.g. the nasal cavity 鼻腔
10. degenerative (neurodegenerative) /dɪˈdʒenərətɪv/ adj.（随着时间的推移）变性的，退化的
○ (of an illness) getting or likely to get worse as time passes
○ e.g. degenerative diseases such as arthritis 诸如关节炎之类的变性病
11. personalize (personalized) /ˈpɜːsənəlaɪz/ v. 使个性化，为个人特制（或专设）
○ to design or change sth. so that it is suitable for the needs of a particular person
○ e.g. All our courses are personalized to the needs of the individual. 我们的全部课程都是针对个人需要设计的。
12. insofar as 到…...程度，在…...范围内
○ to introduce a statement that explains and adds to sth. you have just said
○ e.g. Looking back helps insofar as it helps you learn from your mistakes. 回顾往事助人进步，基于它可以帮助你从错误中学习。
13. variable /ˈveəriəbl/ adj. 易变的，多变的
○ often changing; likely to change
○ e.g. variable temperatures 变化不定的气温
○ e.g. The acting is of variable quality. 表演时好时坏。
14. fine-tuning /ˌfaɪn ˈtjuːnɪŋ/ n. 细调，微调
○ the action of making very small changes to sth. so that it is as good as it can possibly be
○ e.g. The system is set up but it needs some fine-tuning. 该系统已装配好，但需要一些细小调整。
15. synapse (synapses) /ˈsaɪnæps/，/ˈsɪnæps/ n.（神经元的）突触
○ (biology) a connection between two nerve cells
○ e.g. Information from one neuron flows to another neuron across a synapse. 信息从一个神经元通过突触流向另一个神经元。
16. insulate /ˈɪnsjuleɪt/ v. 使隔热，使隔音，使绝缘
○ to protect sth. with a material that prevents heat, sound, electricity, etc. from passing through
○ e.g. Home owners are being encouraged to insulate their homes to save energy. 当局鼓励房主在住房加隔热装置以节约能源。
17. accrue /əˈkruː/ v. 累积（过程）
○ (formal) to increase over a period of time
○ e.g. Interest will accrue if you keep your money in a savings account. 如果把钱存入储蓄账户，就会自然生息。
18. pediatrics /ˌpiːdiˈætrɪks/ n. 小儿科
○ the branch of medicine that deals with children and their diseases
Summary of Vocabulary:
age peak downhill be all downhill keep up with metric(s) fetus emerge cerebral cortex wrinkle ventricle(s) cavity degenerative(neurodegenerative) personalize insofar as variable fine-tuning synapse(s) insulate accrue pediatrics
To be continued...
