that would have an immediate, positive benefit for your brain

如果我告訴各位， 有件你們現在就可以做的事，

including your mood and your focus?

對你的大腦會立即產生正面的好處，

And what if I told you that same thing could actually last a long time

包括你的心情和專注都會受惠， 你會如何呢？

and protect your brain from different conditions

如果我告訴各位， 這事能持續很久的時間，

like depression, Alzheimer's disease or dementia.

並保護你的大腦免於不同的病症，

Would you do it?

比如憂鬱、阿茲海默症， 或失智症的侵擾，你會如何？

Yes!

你們願意做這件事嗎？

I am talking about the powerful effects of physical activity.

願意！

Simply moving your body,

我談的是活動身體的強大效應。

has immediate, long-lasting and protective benefits for your brain.

只要很單純地去動你的身體，

And that can last for the rest of your life.

就能對你的大腦產生立即、 持久，且有保護作用的益處，

So what I want to do today is tell you a story

且持續一生。

about how I used my deep understanding of neuroscience,

所以，今天我要跟各位說個故事，

as a professor of neuroscience,

這故事有關身為神經科學教授的我，

to essentially do an experiment on myself

如何用我對於神經科學的深入了解，

in which I discovered the science underlying

在我自己身上實驗，

why exercise is the most transformative thing

從實驗中找到科學理由來說明，

that you can do for your brain today.

為什麼在現今你能做的 所有事情當中，

Now, as a neuroscientist, I know that our brains,

運動最能改變你的大腦。

that is the thing in our head right now,

身為神經科學家， 我知道我們的大腦，

that is the most complex structure known to humankind.

也就是在我們頭裡面的那個東西，

But it's one thing to talk about the brain,

是人類所知最複雜的結構。

and it's another to see it.

但，談論大腦是一回事，

So here is a real preserved human brain.

看大腦又是另一回事了。

And it's going to illustrate two key areas that we are going to talk about today.

這是一個真正保存起來的人類大腦。

The first is the prefrontal cortex, right behind your forehead,

它將會說明我們今天 要談到的兩個關鍵區域。

critical for things like decision-making, focus, attention and your personality.

第一個是「前額葉皮質」， 就在你的額頭後面，

The second key area is located in the temporal lobe, shown right here.

對決策、專注、注意力， 以及你的人格來說很重要。

You have two temporal lobes in your brain, the right and the left,

第二個關鍵區域位在「顳葉」， 就在圖上的這裡。

and deep in the temporal lobe is a key structure

你的大腦中有兩個顳葉，一右一左，

critical for your ability

顳葉的深處是個關鍵的結構，

to form and retain new long-term memories for facts and events.

重要功能是讓你能夠

And that structure is called the hippocampus.

針對事實和事件來形成 並維持新的長期記憶。

So I've always been fascinated with the hippocampus.

那個結構就叫做「海馬迴」。

How could it be that an event that lasts just a moment,

我一直很迷海馬迴。

say, your first kiss,

怎麼有可能，一個短暫的事件，

or the moment your first child was born,

比如，你的初吻，

can form a memory that has changed your brain,

或是你的第一個孩子出生的那一刻，

that lasts an entire lifetime?

能夠形成一個記憶， 這記憶能改變你的大腦，

That's what I want to understand.

且一生都不會忘記？

I wanted to start and record the activity of individual brain cells

那是我想要了解的。

in the hippocampus

我想要記下受試者在形成記憶時，

as subjects were forming new memories.

海馬迴中的

And essentially try and decode how those brief bursts of electrical activity,

每個腦細胞的活動。

which is how neurons communicate with each other,

並真的試圖破解那些 短暫的突升電流活動，

how those brief bursts either allowed us to form a new memory, or did not.

也就是神經元彼此溝通的方式，

But a few years ago, I did something very unusual in science.

那些短暫的突升怎麼讓我們 形成新記憶，或沒形成記憶？

As a full professor of neural science,

但幾年前，我做了一件 在科學中被認為很不尋常的事。

I decided to completely switch my research program.

身為神經科學的正教授，

Because I encountered something that was so amazing,

我決定完全轉換我的研究計畫。

with the potential to change so many lives

因為我遇到了非常驚人的事，

that I had to study it.

它有潛能可以改變許多人的生命，

I discovered and I experienced the brain-changing effects of exercise.

我得要去研究它。

And I did it in a completely inadvertent way.

我發現且體驗到 運動有改變大腦的效應。

I was actually at the height of all the memory work that I was doing --

我完全是在無意間發現的。

data was pouring in,

其實當時我正處於所進行的 記憶研究工作的頂峰，

I was becoming known in my field for all of this memory work.

資料不斷地湧入，

And it should have been going great. It was, scientifically.

在我的領域中，我開始因為 這項記憶研究而變得出名。

But when I stuck my head out of my lab door,

本來應該很順利。 在科學上的確很順利。

I noticed something.

但當我從實驗室門探出頭，

I had no social life.

我注意到了某件事。

I spent too much time listening to those brain cells

我沒有社交生活。

in a dark room, by myself.

我花了太多時間， 獨自在黑暗的房間中

(Laughter)

傾聽那些腦細胞。

I didn't move my body at all.

（笑聲）

I had gained 25 pounds.

我完全沒動我的身體。

And actually, it took me many years to realize it,

我的體重增加了二十五磅。

I was actually miserable.

而且，我花了很多年，才了解到

And I shouldn't be miserable.

我其實很悲慘。

And I went on a river-rafting trip -- by myself, because I had no social life.

而我不應該如此悲慘。

And I came back --

我參加一趟泛舟之旅── 自己一個人，因為我沒有社交生活。

(Laughter)

接著我回來了。

thinking, "Oh, my God, I was the weakest person on that trip."

（笑聲）

And I came back with a mission.

心想：「我的天， 我是那趟旅行中最弱的人。」

I said, "I'm never going to feel like the weakest person

回來後我就有了一個使命。

on a river-rafting trip again."

我說：「我再也不要覺得自己是

And that's what made me go to the gym.

泛舟之旅中最弱的人了。」

And I focused my type-A personality

這就是我上健身房的動力來源。

on going to all the exercise classes at the gym.

我把我的Ａ型人格專注在

I tried everything.

去參加健身房中所有的運動課程。

I went to kickbox, dance, yoga, step class,

我什麼都嘗試了，

and at first it was really hard.

我去試了自由搏擊、 跳舞、瑜伽、階梯課程，

But what I noticed is that after every sweat-inducing workout that I tried,

一開始真的很辛苦。

I had this great mood boost and this great energy boost.

但我注意到，在我每回嘗試 會讓我滿身大汗的運動之後，

And that's what kept me going back to the gym.

我的情緒和能量都會大大提升。

Well, I started feeling stronger.

這就是為什麼我會 一直持續回到健身房。

I started feeling better, I even lost that 25 pounds.

我開始感覺比較強壯了。

And now, fast-forward a year and a half into this regular exercise program

我開始感覺更好了， 我甚至把那二十五磅給減掉了。

and I noticed something that really made me sit up and take notice.

現在，從我開始做日常鍛鍊 至今已有一年半多了，

I was sitting at my desk, writing a research grant,

我注意到一件事，它讓我 吃驚並吸引了我的注意。

and a thought went through my mind

我坐在桌前寫研究補助申請書，

that had never gone through my mind before.

腦中浮現一個想法，

And that thought was,

那是我以前從來沒有想過的。

"Gee, grant-writing is going well today."

那個想法就是：

And all the scientists --

「天，今天的研究補助 申請寫得真順利。」

(Laughter)

所有的科學家──

yeah, all the scientists always laugh when I say that,

（笑聲）

because grant-writing never goes well.

是啊，當我那麼說時， 科學家都會笑出來，

It is so hard; you're always pulling your hair out,

因為寫補助申請從來就不會順利。

trying to come up with that million-dollar-winning idea.

它真的很難搞，你總是要想破頭，

But I realized that the grant-writing was going well,

試圖提個能贏得百萬美元的想法。

because I was able to focus and maintain my attention

但我發現，補助申請能寫得很順利，

for longer than I had before.

是因為我專注和維持注意力的時間，

And my long-term memory -- what I was studying in my own lab --

都比以前更長。

seemed to be better in me.

且我的長期記憶── 我的實驗室的研究主題──

And that's when I put it together.

似乎在我身上也變得更好。

Maybe all that exercise that I had included and added to my life

就在那時，我把一切都連起來了。

was changing my brain.

也許，我加在生活中的那些運動

Maybe I did an experiment on myself without even knowing it.

在改變我的大腦。

So as a curious neuroscientist,

也許我在自己身上 做了實驗而不自知。

I went to the literature to see what I could find about what we knew

身為好奇的神經科學家，

about the effects of exercise on the brain.

我去查研究文獻， 看看有沒有什麼已知資訊

And what I found was an exciting and a growing literature

與運動對大腦的效應有關。

that was essentially showing everything that I noticed in myself.

我發現的文獻很讓人興奮， 且還在不斷增加中，

Better mood, better energy, better memory, better attention.

基本上，文獻完全點出了 我在身上注意到的所有改變。

And the more I learned,

更好的心情、更高的能量、 更好的記憶、更佳的注意力。

the more I realized how powerful exercise was.

我學得越多，

Which eventually led me to the big decision

我就越能了解運動有多強大。

to completely shift my research focus.

最終，這導致了我做出重大決定，

And so now, after several years of really focusing on this question,

完全轉變我的研究重心。

I've come to the following conclusion:

所以，在真正投入這個問題幾年後，

that exercise is the most transformative thing

我得到了下列的結論：

that you can do for your brain today

在現今你能做的所有事情當中，

for the following three reasons.

運動最能改變你的大腦，

Number one: it has immediate effects on your brain.

理由是以下三個。

A single workout that you do

第一：運動對你的大腦 有立即的效應。

will immediately increase levels of neurotransmitters

你做的每一次運動，

like dopamine, serotonin and noradrenaline.

都會立即增加神經傳遞質的量，

That is going to increase your mood right after that workout,

如多巴胺、血清素、正腎上腺素。

exactly what I was feeling.

這會在你運動之後 馬上提升你的心情，

My lab showed, that a single workout

那正是我的感受。

can improve your ability to shift and focus attention,

我的實驗室顯示，單一次運動

and that focus improvement will last for at least two hours.

就能改善你轉移和聚焦的能力，

And finally, studies have shown

而那專注的改善 會持續至少兩個小時。

that a single workout will improve your reaction times

最後，研究顯示，

which basically means

單一次運動就會改善你的反應時間，

that you are going to be faster at catching that cup of Starbucks

基本上，那就表示

that falls off the counter,

如果一杯星巴克咖啡從櫃台滑落，

which is very, very important.

你能更快速接住它，

(Laughter)

這點是非常非常重要的。

But these immediate effects are transient, they help you right after.

（笑聲）

What you have to do is do what I did,

但這些立即的效應很短暫， 在運動剛結束時幫助你。

that is change your exercise regime, increase your cardiorespiratory function,

你們得要做我所做的，

to get the long-lasting effects.

也就是改變你的運動規律， 增加你的心肺功能，

And these effects are long-lasting

才能得到持久的效應。

because exercise actually changes the brain's anatomy,

這些效應之所以能持久，

physiology and function.

是因為運動確實能改變大腦的結構、

Let's start with my favorite brain area, the hippocampus.

生理機能，以及功能。

The hippocampus --

我們從我最愛的 大腦區域海馬迴開始。

or exercise actually produces brand new brain cells,

海馬迴──

new brain cells in the hippocampus, that actually increase its volume,

運動確實能製造出全新的腦細胞，

as well as improve your long-term memory, OK?

海馬迴中新的腦細胞能增加容積，

And that including in you and me.

還能改善你的長期記憶。

Number two: the most common finding in neuroscience studies,

對你我皆是如此。

looking at effects of long-term exercise,

第二：在神經科學研究中 最常見的研究發現，

is improved attention function dependent or your prefrontal cortex.

在長期運動的效應這方面，

You not only get better focus and attention,

就是改善注意力功能， 而這功能取決於你的前額葉皮質。

but the volume of the hippocampus increases as well.

你不但會有更佳的專注和注意力，

And finally, you not only get immediate effects of mood with exercise

海馬迴的容量也會增加。

but those last for a long time.

最後，你做運動會得到的 不只是心情上的立即效應，

So you get long-lasting increases in those good mood neurotransmitters.

還會有長期的效應。

But really, the most transformative thing that exercise will do

所以，你的好心情神經 傳遞質就能得持續增加。

is its protective effects on your brain.

但其實，運動能帶來最大的轉變，

Here you can think about the brain like a muscle.

就是對大腦產生保護效應。

The more you're working out,

可以把大腦想成是肌肉。

the bigger and stronger your hippocampus and prefrontal cortex gets.

你運動得越多，

Why is that important?

你的海馬迴和前額葉皮質 就會更大、更強壯。

Because the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus

為什麼那很重要？

are the two areas that are most susceptible to neurodegenerative diseases

因為前額葉皮質和海馬迴

and normal cognitive decline in aging.

這兩個區域最容易因 神經退化性疾病和老化

So with increased exercise over your lifetime,

而使得正常認知退化。

you're not going to cure dementia or Alzheimer's disease,

在你的一生中增加運動

but what you're going to do is you're going to create

並不能治癒失智症或阿茲海默症，

the strongest, biggest hippocampus and prefrontal cortex

但能創造出

so it takes longer for these diseases to actually have an effect.

最強壯、最大的海馬迴 和前額葉皮質，

You can think of exercise, therefore,

所以這些疾病要更長的時間 才會對你產生實際的影響。

as a supercharged 401K for your brain, OK?

因此，你可以把運動想成是

And it's even better, because it's free.

大腦的加強版 401K 退休福利計畫。

So this is the point in the talk where everybody says,

它還更好，因為它是免費的。

"That sounds so interesting, Wendy,

演說到這個時點，大家通常會說：

but I really will only want to know one thing.

「溫蒂，那聽起來好有趣，

And that is, just tell me the minimum amount of exercise

但我其實只想知道一件事，

I need to get all these changes."

那就是只要告訴我 最少要做多少運動

(Laughter)

才能得到所有這些改變。」

And so I'm going to tell you the answer to that question.

（笑聲）

First, good news: you don't have to become a triathlete to get these effects.

所以，我會告訴各位 這個問題的答案。

The rule of thumb is you want to get three to four times a week exercise

首先，好消息：你不用變成鐵人三項 運動員也可以得到這些效應。

minimum 30 minutes an exercise session,

經驗法則是，每週要運動三到四次，

and you want to get aerobic exercise in.

每次運動至少要有三十分鐘，

That is, get your heart rate up.

且你需要做一些有氧運動。

And the good news is, you don't have to go to the gym

也就是要讓你的心跳升高。

to get a very expensive gym membership.

好消息是你不需要去健身房

Add an extra walk around the block in your power walk.

付很貴的健身房會費。

You see stairs -- take stairs.

在你健走的時候， 再額外多走一個街區。

And power-vacuuming can be as good as the aerobics class

如果你看見有樓梯可走，走樓梯。

that you were going to take at the gym.

power-vacuuming 是很好的有氧課程選擇，

So I've gone from memory pioneer

如果你到健身房運動的話。

to exercise explorer.

所以，我從記憶的先驅拓荒者，

From going into the innermost workings of the brain,

變成了運動探索者。

to trying to understand how exercise can improve our brain function,

從進入大腦最深處的運作活動，

and my goal in my lab right now

變成試圖了解運動 如何能改善大腦功能，

is to go beyond that rule of thumb that I just gave you --

現在，我的實驗室的目標

three to four times a week, 30 minutes.

是要超越我剛剛 跟各位說的經驗法則──

I want to understand the optimum exercise prescription

每週三到四次，每次三十分鐘。

for you, at your age, at your fitness level,

我想要了解最理想的 運動處方是什麼，

for your genetic background,

針對你，根據你的年齡、 你的健康程度、

to maximize the effects of exercise today

你的基因背景，

and also to improve your brain and protect your brain the best

來把今天的運動效應給最大化，

for the rest of your life.

同時把改善及保護 你的大腦做到最好，

But it's one thing to talk about exercise, and it's another to do it.

讓你一生都能受益。

So I'm going to invoke my power as a certified exercise instructor,

但，「談」運動是一回事， 「做」運動是另一回事。

to ask you all to stand up.

所以，我要實行我身為 認證運動指導員的權力，

(Laughter)

請各位都站起來。

We're going to do just one minute of exercise.

（笑聲）

It's call-and-response, just do what I do, say what I say,

我們只運動一分鐘。

and make sure you don't punch your neighbor, OK?

它類似「呼喊和回應」， 只要做我做的動作，說我說的話，

Music!

然後小心不要打到旁邊的人，好嗎？

(Upbeat music)

音樂！

Five, six, seven, eight, it's right, left, right, left.

（快樂的音樂）

And I say, I am strong now.

五、六、七、八，右、左、右、左。

Let's hear you.

我說，我現在很強壯。

Audience: I am strong now.

換你們說。

Wendy Suzuki: Ladies, I am Wonder Woman-strong.

觀眾：我現在很強壯。

Let's hear you!

溫蒂鈴木：女士們， 我是神力女超人── 強壯。

Audience: I am Wonder Woman-strong.

換你們說！

WS: New move -- uppercut, right and left.

觀眾：我是神力女超人── 強壯。

I am inspired now. You say it!

溫蒂：新動作── 上勾拳，右、左。

Audience: I am inspired now.

我現在受到鼓舞。換你們說！

WS: Last move -- pull it down, right and left, right and left.

觀眾：我現在受到鼓舞。

I say, I am on fire now! You say it.

溫蒂：最後一個動作── 拉下來，右、左、右、左。

Audience: I am on fire now.

我說，我現在如火燃燒！換你們說。