2006年VOA标准英语-Brain Surgery Proven Effective for Symptoms of

By Melinda Smith
Washington, DC
19 September 2006
 
watch New Parkinson's Treatment

There is new hope for many patients suffering from the progressive neurological disorder¹ called Parkinson's disease.  A recent study by a team of German doctors reports improvement in advanced Parkinson's symptoms after patients undergo a surgical² form of brain stimulation³.  VOA's Melinda Smith has more on the procedure and how it might help patients in the early stage of the disease.

The most visible sign of Parkinson's disease is the tremor⁴.  It often begins in one hand, even when that hand is not in use.  As the disease progresses, so do a host of other symptoms, says Neurologist David Charles of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee:

 
Dr. David Charles
"Tremor, stiffness in the muscles, slow movement, difficulty with walking and balance, and then in approximately 20 percent, potentially more, people also have memory difficulties associated with Parkinson's disease," said Dr. Charles.

The World Health Organization estimates that four to six million people suffer from Parkinson's disease.  But that figure is expected to increase dramatically as many developed countries report increases in their elderly populations. In the United States, one and a half million Americans have been diagnosed with the disease.

Parkinson's disease typically begins in people aged⁵ 60 to 65.  For the first few years medication is usually effective.  By the time the disease reaches the later stage, medication often fails to control physical disabilities that affect a patient's quality of life. 

 
New Parkinson's treatment using deep-brain stimulation
Treatment has proven successful in 25 percent of patients with advanced Parkinson's who underwent a surgery called Deep Brain Stimulation.  Electrodes are placed in an area of the brain known as the subthalamic nucleus⁶, which often triggers the overactivity.  Electrodes are connected to a pacemaker inserted in the chest.  They send out a signal to calm the tremors⁷ and muscle stiffness.

 Dr. David Charles explains. "The stimulation therapy somehow -- and this is not clearly understood -- interrupts that overactivity and therefore reduces the symptoms of Parkinson's disease."

Evan Stern had deep brain stimulation four years ago He says, "After the operation everything was alleviated⁸ to some degree -- some completely -- my tremor's gone completely."

The team of neurologists at Vanderbilt University is beginning to use deep brain stimulation among some patients in the early stage.  Dr. Charles says doing stimulation therapy early might just slow down the illness before it is too late:

"There's good evidence that for at least five and now seven years after surgery, patients continue to receive benefit,” says Dr. Charles.  “But when applied⁹ in the late stages of the disease, it really helps with the symptoms but it does not offer a cure, nor does it stop the progression of the disease."

Research into deep brain stimulation in the early stages has begun with just a few patients.  It will be expanded to include several hundred in the larger follow-up study.
 
 

1 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

2 surgical   

adj.外科的，外科医生的，手术上的

参考例句：

• He performs the surgical operations at the Red Cross Hospital.他在红十字会医院做外科手术。
• All surgical instruments must be sterilised before use.所有的外科手术器械在使用之前，必须消毒。

3 stimulation   

n.刺激，激励，鼓舞

参考例句：

• The playgroup provides plenty of stimulation for the children.幼儿游戏组给孩子很多启发。
• You don't get any intellectual stimulation in this job.你不能从这份工作中获得任何智力启发。

4 tremor   

n.震动，颤动，战栗，兴奋，地震

参考例句：

• There was a slight tremor in his voice.他的声音有点颤抖。
• A slight earth tremor was felt in California.加利福尼亚发生了轻微的地震。

5 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

6 nucleus   

n.核，核心，原子核

参考例句：

• These young people formed the nucleus of the club.这些年轻人成了俱乐部的核心。
• These councils would form the nucleus of a future regime.这些委员会将成为一个未来政权的核心。

7 tremors   

震颤( tremor的名词复数 )； 战栗； 震颤声； 大地的轻微震动

参考例句：

• The story was so terrible that It'sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕，它使我不寒而栗。
• The story was so terrible that it sent tremors down my spine. 这故事太可怕，它使我不寒而栗。

8 alleviated   

减轻，缓解，缓和( alleviate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It is always completely alleviated by total gastrectomy. 全胃切除永远完全缓解症状。
• Toxicity problem in manufacturing and storage might be alleviated by coating beryllium with aluminum. 但如果用铝包覆铍，则可避免加工过程中及储存期间的中毒问题。

9 applied   

adj.应用的；v.应用，适用

参考例句：

• She plans to take a course in applied linguistics.她打算学习应用语言学课程。
• This cream is best applied to the face at night.这种乳霜最好晚上擦脸用。