神經性厭食癥一直被視為一種嚴重的精神疾病，但一項國際研究發現，人體裡存在與厭食癥相關的基因，所以神經性厭食癥不僅是精神疾病，也是一種代謝紊亂。倫敦國王學院的醫生們發現，一些人的脫氧核糖核酸（DNA）發生瞭變化，改變瞭他們代謝脂肪和糖的方式，所以會讓他們有進食障礙。
文字稿
Anorexia is an eating disorder that leads people to lose as much weight as possible by eating little food and sometimes exercising excessively. For the past few decades it’s been seen as a serious psychiatric disease. But this study in Nature Genetics, suggests its origins are even more complex.
厭食癥是一種飲食失調癥，導致人們通過少吃食物和過度運動來盡可能地減重。在過去的幾十年裡，它被視為一種嚴重的精神疾病。但發表在《自然-遺傳學》期刊上的這項研究表明，它的起源更為復雜。
Researchers analysed DNA – the blueprint for the human body – from more than 72,000 people. They found mutations that were far more common in anorexia patients. Some mutations did affect brain function, but others were found in the instructions that control the body’s metabolism, particularly around blood sugar levels and body fat.
研究人員分析瞭超過 7.2 萬人的人體藍圖 —— 基因組。他們發現基因突變在厭食癥患者中更為常見。一些基因突變確實影響瞭腦功能， 但也有一些基因突變出現在控制身體新陳代謝的指令中，尤其是控制血糖水平和身體脂肪的指令中。
When most people lose weight there are signals in the body that push back, making us want to eat more. The suspicion is this process goes awry in people at risk of anorexia, making it easier for them to starve themselves. The eating disorder charity Beat said the findings were ground breaking and that rethinking the origins of anorexia could fuel research into new treatments.
當大多數人想減輕體重時，身體裡發出的一些信號會產生反作用力，讓我們食欲大增。但人們懷疑，這個過程在有患厭食癥風險的人群中出現瞭偏差，從而使他們有進食障礙。飲食失調慈善機構 Beat 表示，這是一項突破性的研究，重新思考厭食癥的起源可以推動新療法的研究 。
詞匯
eating disorder 飲食失調
psychiatric disease 精神疾病
blueprint 藍圖，早期計劃方案
mutations （基因的）突變
brain function 腦功能
metabolism 新陳代謝
push back 抵抗
awry 出偏差的，出錯的
ground breaking 史無前例的，突破性的
fuel 推動，助力
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題 。
1. What type of disease did scientists use to think anorexia was?
2. What was it that researchers looked at to make this new discovery about anorexia?
3. According to this new study, how do signals in the body of an anorexic differ from those in other people?
4. True or false? The study found DNA mutations control the body’s metabolism not its brain function.
答案
1. What type of disease did scientists use to think anorexia was?
For the past few decades it’s been seen as a serious psychiatric disease.
2. What was it that researchers looked at to make this new discovery about anorexia?
Researchers analysed DNA – the blueprint for the human body – from more than 72,000 people.
3. According to this new study, how do signals in the body of an anorexic differ from those of other people?
When most people lose weight there are signals in the body that push back, making us want to eat more. The suspicion is this process goes awry in people at risk of anorexia, making it easier for them to starve themselves.
4. True or false? The study found DNA mutations control the body’s metabolism not its brain function.
False. The study found some mutations did affect brain function, but others were found in the instructions that control the body’s metabolism, particularly around blood sugar levels and body fat.
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