neurotrophic
神経栄養性の
解説 Definition
神経細胞の成長と生存を支援する性質を指す。神経栄養因子などの物質が神経組織に栄養を供給し、神経細胞の発達と機能の維持に関わる。
Neurotrophic means relating to the growth, support, or survival of nerve cells. It is mainly used in biology and medicine, especially when talking about substances or processes that help nerves stay healthy. This is a technical scientific term.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
neuro- は neurology, neurotransmitter などで見慣れる『神経』の目印。覚えどころは後半の -trophic で、atrophy（萎縮）や hypertrophy（肥大）に出る -trophy / -trophic を知っていると、『組織の成長や維持に関わる』語群としてまとまりで覚えやすいです。紛らわしいのは neurotoxic（神経に有害）で、neurotrophic は逆に『神経を育て、保つ』側。neurotrophic factor, neurotrophic support のように、神経細胞の成長・生存を助ける場面と結びつけると定着します。
`Neuro-` is the easy part: it points to nerves or the nervous system. The key is `-trophic`, which appears in words about growth, nourishment, or support, so think of something that helps nerves grow or stay healthy. This also helps you keep it separate from `neurotoxic`, which has the opposite feeling.
例文
Neurotrophic factors are essential for nerve cell survival.
神経栄養因子は神経細胞の生存に不可欠である。
The neurotrophic properties of the compound were studied extensively.
化合物の神経栄養特性は広く研究された。
Scientists discovered a new neurotrophic protein.
研究者たちは新しい神経栄養タンパク質を発見した。
neurotrophic の類義語・関連語
neurotrophic の語源・成り立ち Etymology
ギリシャ語のneuron（神経）とtrophikos（栄養の、trophē＝食物から）の合成語。neuro-（神経）＋-trophic（栄養性の）と分解できる。関連語にneurology（神経学）やatrophy（萎縮、a-＝無＋栄養→栄養不足で衰える）がある。
This word combines `neuro-`, from Greek `neuron` meaning "nerve," and `-trophic`, from Greek `trophe` meaning "nourishment" or "food." The basic idea is "related to the nourishment or growth of nerves." In scientific use, it came to describe things that support or affect nerve tissue. Related words include `neurology` and `atrophy`, which comes from the same nourishment root.
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