新研究，不同的人喝咖啡喝到的味道不一樣
2019.01.17
週四 Thursday
perception /pə'sepʃən/
n. 感知
Do you prefer coffee or tea? The answer to that question might in part be down to your genes, research suggests.
你喜歡咖啡還是茶？根據現在的研究顯示，這個問題的答案可能取決於你的基因。
Scientists say a genetic predisposition to perceiving the bitterness of particular substances appears to nudge us towards one beverage or the other.
科學家們說：有一個基因上的差異關係到我們如何感知特定物質苦味，它似乎決定了我們更喜歡哪種飲料。
Dr Marilyn Cornelis, co-author of the research from Northwestern University in Illinois, said: “The study adds to our understanding of factors determining beverage preferences – taste, in particular – and why, holding all other factors constant, we still see marked between-person differences in beverage preference as well as the amount we consume.”
這項研究來自美國伊利諾伊州的西北大學，其中的聯合作者Marilyn Cornelis博士說：“這項研究讓我們對飲料偏好的理解又深了一步，尤其是在口味方面，它同時還解釋了爲什麼會有這樣的差異；在所有其他變量控制不變的前提下，我們依然發現飲料偏好和飲用量在人與人之間有明顯的差異。”
The study, published in the Scientific Reports journal, involved two sets of data. The first was a large twin study which showed that, at least in those of European ancestry, particular genetic variants are linked to the strength of perception of different tastes:
這項發表在《科學報道》期刊上的研究涵蓋了兩組數據。第一組來自一對大型雙生研究，他們顯示出一些特定的遺傳型關係到我們對不同味道的感知能力，至少對於歐洲裔的人來說是這樣的：
one specific variant was associated with slightly higher ratings of bitterness for caffeine, another to greater bitterness for quinine and a third to greater bitterness for a drug known as propylthiouracil, or prop.
其中一種遺傳型讓人更容易感知咖啡因的苦味，另一種型讓人更容易感知奎寧的苦味，第三種型讓人更容易感知一種叫丙基硫氧嘧啶的藥物的苦味，這種藥物簡稱prop。
The team found people with a greater genetic predisposition to perceiving the bitterness of caffeine drank a little more coffee, but an increased perception of the bitterness of quinine and prop were linked to a small reduction in coffee drinking.
研究團隊發現，那些更容易感受咖啡因苦味的人喝的咖啡要更多一些，而更容易感受奎寧和丙基硫氧嘧啶苦味的人喝的咖啡要少一些。
“While the effect of perception on your daily coffee intake might be relatively small – only a 0.15 cup per day increase – from a normal caffeine taster to a strong caffeine taster, it actually makes you 20% more likely to become a heavy drinker – drinking more than four cups per day,” said Jue Sheng Ong, first author of the research.
研究的第一作者Jue Sheng Ong說：“雖然這種感知的差異對你每天咖啡飲用量的影響比較小，重口者只比輕口者多0.15杯，但它卻讓你有20%更高的機率成爲重度飲用者；這裏的重度飲用指的是一天喝咖啡超過4杯。”
The team also found that greater perception of the bitterness of prop was linked to a lower chance of being a heavy drinker of alcohol.
研究團隊還發現，那些更容易感受丙基硫氧嘧啶苦味的人成爲酗酒者的機率更低。
今日詞彙
perception /pə'sepʃən/
n. 感知
這個詞的意思是“感知”，與 of 連用。
The perception of bitterness differs among people.
對苦味的感知能力因人而異。
另外這個詞也能表示“洞察力”。
It did not require a lot of perception to realize the interview was over.
不需要很強的洞察力就能看出面試已經結束了。
它的動詞原形是 perceive
I perceived a change in his behaviour.
我注意到他的舉止有了一些變化。
