英语听力文摘 English Digest 494、烟酒不分家？（在线收听）

Drinking and Smoking
烟酒不分家？

Scientists have long been aware of the link between drinking and smoking. In fact, eighty to ninety percent of alcoholics also smoke, which is about three times the rate in the general population. But a recent study suggests that what you’re dealing with isn’t just behavioral–it also has to do with brain chemistry.

The study suggests that alcohol increases the pleasurable effects of nicotine. Participants drank an alcoholicbeverage and smoked either a regular cigarette or a nicotine free one. Those who smoked nicotine-free cigarettes didn’t report as much satisfaction, which indicates that the nicotine itself plays a critical role in the interaction.

And then there’s all that lowering of inhibitions that happens when you drink.  It doesn’t take much alcohol to increase the pleasures of nicotine. Once scientists get to the bottom of the pharmacological interaction that happens between alcohol and nicotine, they may have a better understanding of how to treat both addictions more effectively.

科学家们长期以来一直在研究喝酒和抽烟之间的联系。事实上，在那些喝酒的人当中，80%到90%都抽烟，这个比率是总人数的3倍。但最近有研究称这不仅与人的行为有关，而且与大脑化学反应也有一定关系。

这项研究表明酒精可以增强尼古丁令人愉快的效果。参与者喝一杯酒精饮料后再抽一支烟或者抽一支不含尼古丁的香烟。那些抽没有尼古丁香烟的人并没有感受到满足感，由此表明尼古丁在相互影响时自身起到关键性作用。

如果喝酒的话就会降低抑制作用。只需少量的酒精就能增加尼抽烟的的快感。曾经有科学家弄清酒精和尼古丁之间药物影响的真相，这让他们更好的了解如何有效地治疗酗酒和吸烟上瘾的人。


Notes：
get to the bottom of  弄清 ... 的真相

eg:
The police are eager to get to the bottom of this mystery. 
警方急切地想弄清这一神秘事件的真相。