VOA慢速英语2017 专家调查脑损伤和美式足球之间的联系（在线收听）

Experts Examine Links Between Brain Injuries and American Football

The number of young people who play American football decreased from 2008 to 2016 according to the Aspen Institute, a research center.

据研究中心——阿斯彭研究所，从2008年到2016年，踢美式足球的年轻人人数减少。 

There are many reasons for this decrease.

导致这种减少的原因很多。 

But some parents, such as businessman Mark Cuban, will not let their children play the sport because of concerns about brain injuries.

但有些父母，如商人马克·库班，不让他们的孩子玩这项运动，因为他们担心孩子的脑部受伤。 

A recent study seems to support some of these concerns.It gives more evidence that too much American football is seriously damaging the brains of players.

最近的一项研究似乎支持了这些担忧。它提供了更多的证据，表明过多进行美式足球运动正在严重损害球员的大脑。

Scientists at the Brain Bank are studying a kind of brain injury known as Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy.

大脑银行的科学家正在研究一种称为慢性创伤性脑病的脑损伤。 

The Brain Bank is a center at Boston University in Massachusetts where brains and other tissue are stored and studied.

大脑银行是马萨诸塞州波士顿大学的研究中心，里面储存和研究着大脑和其他组织。 

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, is caused by collisions that push the brain around inside the skull.

慢性创伤性脑病或CTE，是由造成大脑在颅骨内来回震荡的碰撞引起的。 

In a recent study, the scientists at the Brain Bank found high levels of CTE in dead football players.

在最近的一项研究中，大脑银行的科学家在去世的足球运动员身上发现了严重的CTE。 

The scientists studied the brains of 202 former players.These athletes, who had donated their brains for research, played at high school, college or professional levels.

科学家对202名以前的球员的大脑进行了研究。这些捐出大脑用来研究的运动员在高中、大学或专业水平上玩足球。

The scientists found CTE in 177 of the 202 brains.The scientists found especially high rates of CTE in the brains of former National Football League, or NFL, players.Out of the 111 former NFL players studied, 110 showed signs of CTE.

科学家在202个大脑中，发现177个患有CTE。科学家在前国家橄榄球联盟（NFL）球员的大脑中发现了特别高的CTE率。在所研究的111名前国家橄榄球联盟的球员中，110人出现了CTE的迹象。

Many of those found to have CTE suffered from behavioral or mood problems during their lifetimes.Many also suffered from dementia, too.

发现患有CTE的人中很多在生命中遭遇行为或情绪问题。也有许多人患了痴呆症。 

Amy McKee is one of the lead researchers at the Brain Bank.She said CTE can affect even the brains of young people.

艾米·麦基是大脑银行的首席研究人员之一。她说CTE甚至可以影响年轻人的大脑。 

“We can see spaces near the hippocampus, which is a part of the brain that’s important for learning and for memory,and we can see that there has been shrinkage there as well.To see this in such a young individual is quite startling.”

“我们可以看到海马体附近的空间，海马体是大脑中对于学习和记忆来说重要的一部分，我们可以看到那里也有收缩。在这样一个年轻个体身上看到这一点相当令人吃惊。

McKee says helmets can give some protection from CTE.But, she explains that the risks are still great.

麦基说头盔可以提供一些免遭CTE的保护。但是，她解释说风险还是很大的。 

“They [helmets] will never be the solution for CTE…They may make it less likely, but it is always going to be a risk once you have head contact,” she said.

她说：“它们（头盔）绝不会是解决CTE的方法……他们可能使得患CTE的可能性降低，但是一旦你有头部接触，总是会有风险。”

McKee and her team are now looking for ways to diagnose CTE before a player dies.They are also looking for drugs that might treat it.

麦基及其团队现在正在寻找在运动员死亡之前诊断CTE的方法。他们也在寻找可以治疗的药物。他们也在寻找可以治疗的药物。

Words in This Story

collision– n. : a crash in which two or more things or people hit each other

donate – v. to give (money, food, clothes, etc.) in order to help a person or organization

dementia – n. medical a mental illness that causes someone to be unable to think clearly or to understand what is real and what is not real

startling – adj. : very surprising, shocking, or frightening

helmet – n. a hard hat that is worn to protect your head

diagnose – v. to recognize (a disease, illness, etc.) by examining someone