研究:经常做噩梦易患帕金森症

 　　Horrifying¹ dreams at night could be one of the first signs of Parkinson's disease, according to scientists.Those who shout or cry in their sleep could be more likely to develop the condition within the next five years.

　　近日，科学家研究证明了夜里经常噩梦的人患帕金森综合症的机率非常高。研究者说，特别是在梦中做梦时"大喊""大哭"等症状的人，在5年内，更容易患上帕金森综合症。

　　Experts have found that people who suffer from a condition known as 'REM sleep disturbance²' - which includes nightmares and sudden kicking movements - are more likely to develop Parkinson's and other forms of dementia.

　　究其原因是因为做噩梦的人在做梦的时候会经历不同时间“快速眼动(REM)”，这种干扰睡眠质量的症状会使得人在梦中尖叫、甚至四肢抖动。

　　REM or rapid eye movement is the stage in sleep when people typically dream.Normal sleepers³ are effectively paralysed during this stage because the brain shuts off the muscles allowing the body to properly rest.But this doesn't happen to those with REM disorders⁴, who often act out their dreams with violent movements.Scientists in Barcelona found that a fifth of those over 60 suffering from the condition went on to develop Parkinson's, and other degenerative diseases such as Lewy body dementia.The study, published in the Lancet Neurology journal, suggests that sleep disorders could be one of the first signs of brain diseases.

　　“快速眼动(REM)”是人在梦境中一种反应。一般来说，正常人在睡觉的时候，大脑会处于“休息”状态，大脑会停止肌肉的运动，这时候，人的身体会处于绝对的放松状态。然而拥有“快速眼动(REM)”症状的时候，肌肉的运动不能立马停止，伴随着噩梦，人们的身体会有“剧烈的抖动”。科学家说，大约有20%上了60岁的老人患有此症状。

　　Parkinson's affects about 120,000 people in Britain, mainly those over the age of 50.Those suffering from the disease don't have enough of a chemical called dopamine because some nerve cells in their brain have died.

　　在英国，帕金森综合症影响了12万超过50岁的老人，他们大脑中的神经细胞部分死亡，同时缺少一种叫做多巴胺（一种治脑神经病的药物）的治疗。

　　Without dopamine their movements become slower, they become confused and lose their memory.

　　缺乏了多巴胺，他们的身体逐渐逐渐会缓慢下来，这也是帕金森综合症的症状之一。

　　Vocabulary

　　dopamine n. 多巴胺（一种治脑神经病的药物）

　　dream n. 梦想，愿望；梦

　　Parkinson's disease n. 帕金森综合症

1 horrifying   

a.令人震惊的，使人毛骨悚然的

参考例句：

• He went to great pains to show how horrifying the war was. 他极力指出战争是多么的恐怖。
• The possibility of war is too horrifying to contemplate. 战争的可能性太可怕了，真不堪细想。

2 disturbance   

n.动乱，骚动；打扰，干扰；(身心)失调

参考例句：

• He is suffering an emotional disturbance.他的情绪受到了困扰。
• You can work in here without any disturbance.在这儿你可不受任何干扰地工作。

3 sleepers   

n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环

参考例句：

• He trod quietly so as not to disturb the sleepers. 他轻移脚步，以免吵醒睡着的人。 来自辞典例句
• The nurse was out, and we two sleepers were alone. 保姆出去了，只剩下我们两个瞌睡虫。 来自辞典例句

4 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》