2006年VOA标准英语-Scientists Find Possible Cause for Sudden Infan

By Melinda Smith
Washington, D.C.
24 November 2006
 
watch SIDS report

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome¹ is considered the most common cause of death among babies younger than one year old. The reason for these deaths is often a mystery.  Now researchers have discovered something unusual in the brains of many of these babies.

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Sudden infant death can occur without warning.  The parent puts the baby to bed, only to return and find it has stopped breathing.  Doctors do not really understand why, but there are some common factors associated with what is also called 'crib death.' 

A majority of these deaths occur in the first six months of life, often during the winter months, and frequently while the baby sleeps on its stomach or on its side.  There are no symptoms or signs of struggle.

Thirteen years ago Steve and Katie Scully of suburban² Washington, D.C. lost their baby Carolyn to SIDS.  Katie Scully still feels the pain: "Yeah, it was such a shock.  You know, I had read about SIDS, but that wasn't going to happen to me.  That's one in a thousand."

Researchers from Children's Hospital of Boston, Massachusetts and Harvard Medical School think they may have discovered a cause for crib death.  What they found were abnormalities in the brainstems of 31 babies and 10 infants who had died of SIDS.  Their study indicates an imbalance in the neurotransmitter called serotonin that influences the baby's breathing, temperature and ability to wake up.  The danger occurs when babies born with too much serotonin are placed on their stomachs to sleep. 

Dr. Marian Willinger of the National Institute of Child Health and Development explains why the findings are so important.  "What's so important about this paper -- and exciting -- is the fact that there is an actual structural³ and biochemical problem in the part of the brain that controls life sustaining functions that we think are affected⁴ in SIDS babies."

At present it is not possible to confirm a diagnosis⁵ of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in a living child.   But scientists hope to develop a test in the future that can identify those babies at risk, as well as a means of correcting the defect before it is too late. 

If that happens, Katie Scully says, it might save other parents from the grief she and her husband have endured. "You know, babies aren't [supposed] to die, and when one does, it's so shocking, it's so tragic⁶, it's so what's not supposed to happen.  So, if even just one little life is saved today, then every effort that all these people have done is so worthwhile."

1 syndrome   

n.综合病症；并存特性

参考例句：

• The Institute says that an unidentified virus is to blame for the syndrome. 该研究所表示,引起这种综合症的是一种尚未确认的病毒。
• Results indicated that 11 fetuses had Down syndrome. 结果表明有11个胎儿患有唐氏综合征。

2 suburban   

adj.城郊的，在郊区的

参考例句：

• Suburban shopping centers were springing up all over America. 效区的商业中心在美国如雨后春笋般地兴起。
• There's a lot of good things about suburban living.郊区生活是有许多优点。

3 structural   

adj.构造的，组织的，建筑（用）的

参考例句：

• The storm caused no structural damage.风暴没有造成建筑结构方面的破坏。
• The North American continent is made up of three great structural entities.北美大陆是由三个构造单元组成的。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 diagnosis   

n.诊断，诊断结果，调查分析，判断

参考例句：

• His symptoms gave no obvious pointer to a possible diagnosis.他的症状无法作出明确的诊断。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做一次彻底的调查分析。

6 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。