一項將藥物直接導入患者大腦中的、具有顛覆性的帕金森病療法已在人身上進行瞭測試。在試驗中，一組患者接受瞭這類治療，即藥物通過頭部一側的開口註入大腦；另一組則接受瞭 “安慰劑療法”。
文字稿
Parkinson’s causes parts of the brain to become progressively damaged, resulting in a range of symptoms such as involuntary shaking and stiff, inflexible muscles. Now British scientists have, for the first time, given a protein called GDNF directly into the brain in the hope that it could regenerate dying cells and even reverse the condition.
帕金森病導致部分大腦逐漸受損，引發一系列癥狀，比如無意識的顫抖和肌肉僵硬、不靈活等。現在，英國科學傢首次將一種名為 “膠質細胞源性神經營養因子” 的蛋白質直接註入大腦，希望這樣做可以讓瀕死的細胞再生，甚至逆轉病情。
41 participants underwent robot-assisted surgery to have four tubes screwed into their brains, which allowed GDNF to be infused to the affected areas with pinpoint accuracy via a port in their head.
41 名參與者接受瞭機器人輔助手術，手術將四根導管插入大腦，這使得膠質細胞源性神經營養因子通過頭部的開口極其精確地註入病變區域。
In the study, some patients received the protein and others received a placebo. Both groups showed improved symptoms, so it’s not clear if the protein was responsible for the benefits. However, scans did find evidence of improvement to affected areas of the brain in those given GDNF.
在這項研究中，給一些患者註入瞭蛋白質，而給另一些患者使用瞭安慰劑。兩組患者的癥狀均有所改善，所以目前還不清楚這是不是蛋白質起到的作用。但腦部掃描結果的確顯示，在那些給予蛋白質的患者中，腦內的病變區域得到瞭改善。
Researchers hope that further trials could look at increasing the doses of GDNF for the duration of treatment. While this is far from a cure for those with Parkinson’s, it may provide some hope to the millions of sufferers around the world.
研究者們希望進一步的試驗可以著眼於在治療期間增加膠質細胞源性神經營養因子的劑量。盡管這還遠遠不能治愈帕金森病患者，但它或許能給世界各地數百萬帕金森患者帶來一絲希望。
1. 詞匯
progressively 逐漸地
symptoms 癥狀
protein 蛋白質
regenerate 再生
infused 被註入
pinpoint accuracy 高精確度
placebo 安慰劑
benefits 益處、好處
a cure 治愈方法
2. 閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題 。
1. True or false? The GDNF protein is inserted into the brain using a pin.
2. What is hoped will happen to the cells in someone’s brain when the protein GDNF is inserted into it?
3. What did scans show about those patients given GDNF protein?
4. To what extent is this trial a solution for curing Parkinson’s?
3. 答案
1. True or false? The GDNF protein is inserted into the brain using a pin.
False. The GDNF is inserted into someone’s brain via a test tube using pinpoint accuracy.
2. What is hoped will happen to the cells in someone’s brain when the protein GDNF is inserted into it?
Scientists hope giving a protein called GDNF directly into the brain, could regenerate dying cells and even reverse the condition.
3. What did scans show about those patients given GDNF protein?
Scans found evidence of improvement to affected areas of the brain in those given GDNF.
4. To what extent is this trial a solution for curing Parkinson’s?
This trial does not provide a solution and the reporter says “this is far from cure for those with Parkinson’s” but it may provide some hope to the millions of sufferers around the world.
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