文字稿

美國加利福尼亞的科學家稱他們的研究讓人類對帕金森疾病有了重新的認識。發表在《細胞》科學雜志上的科研文章提出大腦紊亂可能是由生活在腸道內的細菌引起的。專家說這項研究結果開辟了“令人興奮的新研究途徑”。請聽? James Gallagher 的報道。

In Parkinson's disease, the brain is progressively damaged, causing people to experience tremors and difficulty moving.

The researchers use mice genetically programmed to develop Parkinson's, but only those with bacteria in their stomachs developed symptoms, sterile mice remained healthy. Further tests show transplanting bacteria from Parkinson’s patients led to more symptoms than bacteria from healthy people.

The California Institute of Technology says the findings mark a paradigm shift in the understanding of the disease. It's thought some bacteria release chemicals that over activate parts of the brain leading to damage. And that drugs that act on gut bugs or probiotics could become new treatments.

The charity Parkinson's UK said there's still a long way to go, but the work opened an exciting new avenue of research.?

詞匯表

progressively?逐步地
tremors?顫抖，震顫
genetically programmed?基因設定成的
symptoms?癥狀
sterile?無菌的
paradigm shift?（思維認知的）徹底轉變
probiotics?益生菌
new avenue?新的渠道，新的途徑

測驗

請聽報道并回答下列問題。

1. Parkinson's disease affects which part of the human body?

2. What was introduced to the mice in the experiments?

3. True or false? Sterile mice showed symptoms of Parkinson's disease in the experiment.

4. Which word in the text means 'to cause something to start'?

答案

1. Parkinson's disease affects which part of the human body?
The brain.

2. What was introduced to the mice in the experiments?
Bacteria was put into the mice's stomachs.

3. True or false? Sterile mice showed symptoms of Parkinson's disease in the experiment.
False. Only these with bacteria in their stomachs developed symptoms, sterile mice remained health.

4. Which word in the text means 'to cause something to start'?
Activate.