In a discovery that will give nutritionists the shivers, a Japanese scientist has discovered that consuming ice cream for breakfast improves a person's alertness and mental performance.
一位日本科学家的发现让营养学家们“不寒而栗”，他称，早餐摄入冰淇淋可以改善一个人的机敏度和思维表现。
Yoshihiko Koga, a professor at Tokyo's Kyorin University, has carried out a series of clinical trials in which test subjects were required to eat ice cream immediately after waking up.
They were then put through a series of mental exercises on a computer.
Compared to a group that had not eaten ice cream, Prof Koga's subjects exhibited faster reaction times and better information-processing capabilities, the Excite News web site reported.
Monitoring of the subjects' brain activity revealed an increase in high-frequency alpha waves, which are link ed to elevated levels of alertness and reduced mental irritation.
To examine the possibility that the test subjects' reactions were simply the result of the brain being shocked into higher levels of alertness by the low temperature of the ice cream, Prof Koga repeated the experiment with cold water instead of ice cream.
Test subjects who drank cold water did display a degree of increased alertness and mental capacity, although the levels were markedly lower than among subjects who started the day with ice cream.
Prof Koga is a specialist in psychophysiology, with his studies including looking into link s between certain types of food and reduced stress.
Another area of study is the connection between different foods and their impact on the ageing process.
Prof Koga is continuing his research and has yet to determine a firm connection between the mental boost delivered by ice cream and a specific ingredient, while another explanation may lie in the sense that ice cream is a treat that triggers positive emotions and added energy.
相关单词：capabilities
capabilities解释：n.能力( capability的名词复数 )；可能；容量；[复数]潜在能力
capabilities例句：
He was somewhat pompous and had a high opinion of his own capabilities. 他有点自大，自视甚高。 来自辞典例句
Some programmers use tabs to break complex product capabilities into smaller chunks. 一些程序员认为，标签可以将复杂的功能分为每个窗格一组简单的功能。 来自
相关单词：irritation
irritation解释：n.激怒，恼怒，生气
irritation例句：
He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。
查看更多关于【英语时事】的文章
