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58 对赌博时大脑活动情况的研究
DATE=6-14-01
TITLE=SCIENCE REPORT ?Gambling and the Brain
BYLINE=George Grow
(Start at 0'11") This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English SCIENCE REPORT.
Many people get excited about games of chance, especially when they win.
Scientists now have evidence that the brains of people who expect to win money (1) react much like those of people taking the (2) drug (3) cocaine. They found that the idea of winning money activates areas of the brain that deal with (4) processes and (5) rewards. The scientists say this may help to explain why some people depend on (6) illegal drugs, (7) gambling or other activities.
Scientists in Boston, Massachusetts; (8) Princeton, New Jersey and (9) Montreal, Canada organized the study. Their findings were reported in the publication Neuron.
Hans Breiter of Massachusetts General Hospital led the study. He and his team (10) demonstrated that different parts of the brain are involved in studying the possibility of receiving a gain or loss. Many of these same areas of the brain also react when the (11) individual wins or loses money.
The study (12) involved twelve men who played a game that involved winning or losing money. The scientists used a process called high-field functional (13) magnetic (14) resonance (15) imaging to measure brain activity in the men.
The twelve players each were given fifty dollars. They were told they might lose some or all of the money, keep it, or increase it. Each man was shown computer images of (16) spinners or (17) pointers. The spinners moved in (18) circles and could land in one of three areas. Each area had a different (19) monetary value.
The players watched the spinners move in circles for six seconds and then land in one of the areas. The scientists measured brain activity in each man while the spinners were moving and after they had stopped.
Changes in brain activity were linked to the amount of money involved. Brain activity increased as the amount of money increased.
The scientists say the brain activity they observed was similar to that in earlier studies of people using drugs. Doctor Breiter says the results may support the theory that gambling may be similar to drug (20) dependence.
Massachusetts General Hospital reports that scientists may use brain tests in the future to measure what people like and do not like. Future studies also may help scientists understand the development of (21) disorders such as drug dependency and other problems.
This VOA Special English SCIENCE REPORT was written by George Grow. This is Steve Ember.
(1) react [ri`Akt] vi.起反应, 起作用, 反抗, 起反作用
(2) drug [drQg] n.毒品
(3) cocaine [kE`kein] n.可卡因
(4) process [prE`ses] n.过程, 作用, 方法, 程序, 步骤
(5) reward [ri`wC:d] n.报酬, 奖金
(6) illegal [i`li:gEl] adj.违法的, 不合规定的
(7) gambling [`gAmbliN] n.赌博
(8) Princeton [ `prinst[n] n.普林斯顿
(9) Montreal [9mRntri`R:l] n. 蒙特利尔（加拿大）
(10) demonstrate [ `demEnstreit] vt.示范, 证明, 论证 vi.示威
(11) individual [9indi`vidjU[l] n.个人, 个体
(12) involved [in`vRlvd] adj.有关的
(13) magnetic [mA^`netik] adj.磁的, 有磁性的, 有吸引力的
(14) resonance [ `rezEnEns] n.共鸣, 回声
(15) imaging [i`mAdViN] [计] 成像
(16) spinner [ `spin[] n.[计]微调控制项
(17) pointer [ `pCintE] n.指示器
(18) circle [ `sE:kl] n.圆周, 圆形物
(19) monetary [ `mQnitEri] adj.货币的, 金钱的
(20) dependence [di`pendEns] n.依靠, 依赖
(21) disorder [dis`R:dE] n.杂乱, 混乱, 无秩序状态
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