Experiments performed on Homo sapiensindicate that like rats humans too can be manipulated, and that it is possible to create or annihilate even complex feelings such as love, anger, fear and depression by stimulating the right spots in the human brain.
对智人的实验显示,人和老鼠一样也是可以被操纵的,通过刺激人脑正确的部位,可以产生或消除复杂的情感,例如爱、愤怒、恐惧和绝望。
The US military has recently initiated experiments on implanting computer chips in people’s brains, hoping to use this method to treat soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
美国军方最近开始了将计算机芯片植入人脑的试验,希望用这种方法治疗创伤性应激障碍的士兵。
In Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, doctors have pioneered a novel treatment for patients suffering from acute depression.
在耶路撒冷的哈达萨医院,医生开创了一个新奇的治疗严重抑郁病人的方法。
They implant electrodes into the patient’s brain, and wire the electrodes to a minuscule computer implanted into the patient’s breast.
他们把电极植入患者脑部,并与植入患者胸部的微型计算机相联。
On receiving a command from the computer, the electrodes use weak electric currents to paralyse the brain area responsible for the depression.
接受来自计算机的指令,电极用微弱的电流来抑制大脑负责抑郁的区域。
The treatment does not always succeed, but in some cases patients reported that the feeling of dark emptiness that tormented them throughout their lives disappeared as if by magic.
这种治疗并非总能成功,但在有些情况下,患者报告说那种在生活中折磨他们的黑暗空洞感神奇的消失了。
One patient complained that several months after the operation, he had a relapse, and was overcome by severe depression.
有一个患者抱怨在治疗数月后,他的病情复发,被更严重的抑郁症所困扰。
Upon inspection, the doctors found the source of the problem: the computer’s battery had run out of power. Once they changed the battery, the depression quickly melted away.
经过检查,医生发现了问题的根源:计算机的电池耗尽了。当重新换过电池后,抑郁感很快消失了。
Due to obvious ethical restrictions, researchers implant electrodes into human brains only under special circumstances.
由于明显的伦理问题,研究者只在特殊情况下才将电极植入人脑。
Hence most relevant experiments on humans are conducted using nonintrusive helmet-like devices (technically known as ‘transcranial direct current stimulators’).
因此有关人的试验,一般采用非侵入式像头盔似的设备(例如颅直流电刺激技术)。
The helmet is fitted with electrodes that attach to the scalp from outside.
头盔上装有电极,从外部附着在头皮上。
It produces weak electromagnetic fields and directs them towards specific brain areas, thereby stimulating or inhibiting select brain activities.
它会产生微弱的电磁区域,直接指向特定的脑部区域,从而促进或抑制所选脑区的活动。
词汇:
indicate:表明
initiate:开创
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 创伤性应激障碍,创伤后神经失调症
Jerusalem n. 耶路撒冷
pioneer v. 开拓,开发;n. 先驱者
acute adj. 尖锐的,严重的,(医)急性的
novel:新奇的
electrode n. 电极
minuscule adj. 非常小的,不重要的
paralyze v. 使…瘫痪
torment v. 折磨,使痛苦
relapse n. (病)再发,复发
inspection n. 检查
non intrusive adj. 非侵入性的
transcranial direct current stimulator TDSC 颅直流电刺激器
19)be fitted with 安装,配备
20)scalp n. 头皮
21)electromagnetic adj. 电磁的
22)inhibit v. 抑制,禁止