Magnetism and the Brain（在线收听）

Magnetism and the Brain

By Craig Wilson

© 2004 USA TODAY International.

Distributed by Tribune Media Services International

The power of a magnet may offer hope for those suffering from mental illness

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It began as just another research project, in this case to examine the effects of various drugs on patients with a severe mood disorder. Using an advanced brain scanning technology called EP-MRSI, researchers at Boston’s McLean Hospital scanned the medicated and unmedicated brains of 30 people with bipolar disorder. Their goal was to detect possible new treatments for the more than 2 million American adults who suffer from the disease.

But something unexpected happened. A patient who had been so depressed she could barely speak became cheerful after the 45-minute brain scan. Then a second patient, who seemed incapable of even a smile, emerged actually telling jokes. Then another and another. Was this some bizarre coincidence?

A different approach

Aimee Parow, the technician who made these observations, didn’t think so. She mentioned the patients’ striking mood shifts to her boss, and together they completely refocused the study: to see if the electromagnetic fields might actually have a curative effect on debilitating melancholy.

As it turns out, they did. As reported in the American Journal of Psychiatry, 23 of the 30 people who were part of the study reported feeling significantly less depressed after the scan. The most dramatic improvements were among those who were taking no medication. The researchers are cautious. Says Bruce Cohen, McLean Hospital’s president and psychiatrist-in-chief: “We are not saying this is the answer . . . but this is a completely different approach in trying to help the brain than anything that was done before.”

Vocabulary Focus

bizarre (adj) [bi5zB:] very strange and unusual

curative (adj) [5kjuErEtiv] able to cure or cause to get better

debilitating (adj) [di5biliteitiN] physically weakening

Specialized Terms

mood disorder (n phr) 情感性疾病 a condition where someone’s emotions and/or thoughts are distorted or not appropriate for the current circumstances

bipolar disorder (n phr) 躁烦症 a mental illness in which someone alternates from being extremely happy and excited to being extremely sad; also known as manic depression

electromagnetic (adj) 电磁（体）的 having magnetic and electrical parts

melancholy (n) 抑郁，通常持久而无明显原因 a sadness that lasts for a long period of time, often without any obvious reason

电磁与大脑

电磁的力量也许可为精神病患带来希望

张梵 译

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它开始时只不过是另一项研究计划，为的是研究各种不同的药物对严重情感性疾病患者的影响。波士顿麦克林医院的研究人员使用称为“平面回波核磁共振位移成像法”的先进脑部扫描技术，为30名抑郁症患者进行脑部扫描。30名患者有些正接受药物治疗，有些则未服药。研究人员希望为逾200万的美国成年抑郁症病患，找出新疗法。

但结果却出乎意料之外。一名沮丧得几乎无法言语的病患，经过45分钟的脑部扫描后，开始展现笑颜，而另一名似乎无法微笑的病患，扫描过后也竟能开始谈笑风生。其它病患也都类似。这是某种奇异的巧合吗？

不同的疗法

艾美·派若是提出上述观察的技术员。她不认为事情纯属巧合，并向上司说明病患显著的情绪转变。二人于是改变研究方向，企图了解电磁场对于使人意志薄弱的抑郁症，是否具有疗效。

结果显示，电磁场果然具有疗效。《美国精神病学杂志》报道指出，30名参与研究的病患中，23名于扫描过后抑郁程度明显降低，未曾服药的病患改善程度则最为显著。研究员们态度保守。布鲁斯·柯恩是麦克林医院院长及精神病科主任。他说：“我们并不认为这就是答案。但这是治疗脑部的一种崭新疗法，跟过去的疗法截然不同。”