VOA标准英语2010年-Study Finds Popular Medications Most H

Anti-depressants are widely used to help relieve suffering.  But after reviewing previous studies, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania may have hit on something that could change the way anti-depressants are prescribed. 

The researchers looked at data from earlier studies on two antidepressants. The studies included patients with severe, moderate and mild forms of depression. Some were given antidepressants.  Others received a placebo¹.  Jay Fournier, the study's lead author, said, "What we found was that patients who are on the lower end of the severity, the medications weren't doing much more than the placebo was. For patients at the higher end of the severity, the medications had a very potent² effect."

Doctors have been sharply divided on how to treat patients with less serious symptoms of depression. The study does not make treatment recommendations, but it has implications for treatment.

Psychiatrist³ Stuart Sotsky conducted one of the studies included in the review. "I hope that what a study like this will do would be to help alert clinicians, residents in training, and medical students that severity is an important factor to consider in planning treatment," he said.

Dr. Sotsky says some moderately depressed⁴ patients could still benefit from antidepressants, but his study showed that many others could do just as well with exercise, talk therapy, support groups or self help. "While they may not respond to antidepressants, the good news is that there are other, effective treatments that can be employed to help," he said.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

1 placebo   

n.安慰剂；宽慰话

参考例句：

• The placebo has been found to work with a lot of different cases.人们已发现安慰剂能在很多不同的病例中发挥作用。
• The placebo effect refers to all the observable behaviors caused by placebo.安慰剂效应是指由安慰剂所引起的可观察的行为。

2 potent   

adj.强有力的，有权势的；有效力的

参考例句：

• The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
• We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。

3 psychiatrist   

n.精神病专家；精神病医师

参考例句：

• He went to a psychiatrist about his compulsive gambling.他去看精神科医生治疗不能自拔的赌瘾。
• The psychiatrist corrected him gently.精神病医师彬彬有礼地纠正他。

4 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。