新奇事件簿 头部移植有望在十年后实现（在线收听）

It is either science fiction or a plot from a horror movie, but a neurosurgeon said head transplants could be possible by the year 2030. Transplant surgery has come on leaps and bounds in the last few decades. Organ transplants are commonplace and this past decade has seen face transplants. The next decade could see whole heads being transplanted. Neurosurgeon Bruce Mathew explained why he believes this is possible. He was actually working with author Michael J Lee on a science fiction novel. He said: "Initially, our intention was just to brainstorm an idea and it seemed rather silly, but then I realised, it actually isn't. If you transplant the brain and spinal cord together, it's not impossible."

头部移植，这要么是科幻小说，要么是恐怖电影里的情节，但一位神经外科医生表示，到2030年，这将成为可能。移植手术在过去的几十年里有了长足的发展。器官移植很常见，在过去的十年里也出现了面部移植。在接下来的十年里还可能有头部移植。神经外科医生布鲁斯·马修解释了为什么他认为这是可能的。事实上，他在与科幻小说作家Michael J Lee合作他表示：“起初，我们的目的只是头脑风暴一个想法，而且这个想法很傻，但后来我意识到，其实并不傻。如果你同时移植大脑和脊髓，这不是不可能的。”

Doctor Matthew, 63, has performed over 10,000 operations. He claims that head transplants would only be possible if the head was accompanied by the whole of its spinal cord. Advancements in nerve and spinal cord surgery, robotics and stem cell transplants mean it could be possible to attach an entire spinal cord and head to another body before 2030. Dr Matthew continued: "The thought of keeping the spinal cord in one piece has always been totally daunting, but now with modern technology you can do most things." Matthew also believes that consciousness would also move with the head and spinal cord from one body to another. The technology could treat spinal cord injuries and diseases like muscular dystrophy.

63岁的马修医生已经做了1万多场手术。他声称，只有将整个脊髓和头部一起移植，头部移植才有可能实现。神经和脊髓手术、机器人技术和干细胞移植方面的进展意味着在2030年之前，将整个脊髓和头移植到另一个身体上是可能的。马修医生还说道：“将脊髓完整保留的想法总是让人望而生畏，但是有了现代科技，大部分都是可以实现的。”马修还认为意识也会随着头部和脊髓从一个身体移动到另一个身体。这项技术可以治疗脊髓损伤和肌肉萎缩症等疾病。