In one of the strongest indications of the power of the mind to influence the body, a growing
collection of evidence finds that people who are depressed have a greatly higher risk of developing
heart disease.
In a study of almost 3,000 men and 5,000 women, depressed men were 70 per cent more likely to
develop coronary (心脏的) heart disease than those who weren't depressed. While depressed women
were just 12 per cent more likely to develop heart disease, those who were severely depressed were
78 per cent more likely. In fact, a 1998 study found that women who are depressed have a risk of dying
from heart disease equal to that of women who smoke or who have high blood pressure.
The link works the other way around, too: While about 1 in 20 American adults experience major
depression in a given year, that number jumps to about one in three among those who have survived a
heart attack.
The more severe the depression, the more dangerous it is to your health. But some studies suggest
that even mild depression, including feelings of hopelessness experienced over many years, may damage
the heart. Other studies suggest depression may affect how well heart disease medications work.
Researchers aren't sure what the connection between depression and heart disease is, but theories exist.
One is that people who are depressed tend not to take very good care of themselves. They're more
likely to eat high-fat, high-calorie "comfort" foods, less likely to exercise, and more likely to smoke. But
beyond lifestyle, there is probably also a physiological link between depression and heart disease.
Recent studies found that people with severe, depression tended to have a lack of heart-healthy 0-3
fatty acids. People who are depressed also often have high levels of stress hormones (荷尔蒙). These
keep the body primed for fight or flight, raising blood pressure and causing the heart to beat faster, all
of which put additional stress on coronary arteries (动脉) and prevent the body's natural healing
mechanisms from working properly.
A whole branch of medicine is devoted to the complex links between mental health, the nervous
system, the hormone system and so on. This science is gradually sorting out how the mind-body
connection affects us, or defenses against heart disease.
Generally, an estimated 10 per cent of American adults experience some form of depression every
year. Although available treatments can ease symptoms in more than 80 per cent of people treated, less
than half of those with depression get the help they need.
1. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage?
A. Depression — Heart Disease Risk Factor.
B. Heart Disease — Health Killer.
C. Depression — Mental Health Enemy.
D. Heart Disease — Depression Factor.
2. Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?
A. With high blood pressure, depression is another potential risk to women's health.
B. Depression, which is mild, can possibly cause damage to your health.
C. Most people who experience depression get treated as they should be.
D. Depression may have some influence on the function of heart disease medication.
3. According to the passage, the possible connections between heart disease and depression are the
following EXCEPT ______
A. depressed ones tend to eat high-fat and high-calories foods, which leads to physical damage to heart
B. severe heart disease may cause people to feel hopeless and depressed
C. depression may result in the lack of some kind of acids, which probably affects the working of
people's heart
D. people with depression often have a high level of stress hormones, maybe, which will put extra
pressure on one s heart
4. We can infer from the passage that ______.
A. more researches will be done to find the certain links between heart disease and depression
B. the percentage of adults with depression is higher than that of depressed adults with heart disease
C. one's lifestyle has relatively little relationship with one's mental health
D. those with depression have a higher risk of developing heart disease
5. The meaning of the word symptoms in the last paragraph is _____________.
A. 诊断
B. 症状
C. 处方
D. 患者
