读者文摘:幽默能让我们更聪明(2)（在线收听）

What gives the brain a workout? Information.

什么能锻炼大脑呢？信息。

When researchers asked people to look at a series of pictures while their brains were being scanned in an fMRI machine,

研究人员让人们看一系列的图片，同时用功能性磁共振成像机器扫描他们的大脑，

it was the more complex images—a work of art, a sprawling vista, a group of animals—that tickled the neurons in their heads most.

结果是，更复杂的图片-艺术作品，广阔的景色，一群动物-最能刺激他们大脑中的神经元。

It's the activation of those neurons—nerve cells, which, among other things,

是那些神经元的活跃-神经细胞，除了其他功能以外，

send and receive sensory information—that "lights up" the fMRI scans in bright, almost psychedelic colors.

还负责发送和接收感官信息-点亮了功能性磁共振成像机器的扫描图像，几乎呈现的是迷幻的颜色。

In fact, there is an almost drug like effect taking place. The brain is filled with opioid receptors—yes, opioid, as in the drug.

实际上，大脑中几乎是出现了类药物反应。大脑充满了阿片样受体-是的，阿片样物质，就像毒品中的一样。

Made of specialized proteins, these receptors poke out of our neurons like tiny radio antennas designed to pick up passing signals.

这些受体由特殊的蛋白质构成，从我们的神经元中伸出来，就像设计用来接收传递信号的微型无线电天线。

When the right kind of molecule bumps into a receptor—perhaps one of the body's naturally occurring opioids, such as an endorphin,

当合适的分子撞击受体时，受体可能是人体自然产生的阿片类物质之一，如内啡肽，

or a synthetic drug designed to look like one, such as heroin or morphine—

或者是一种合成药物，制造得看起来像毒品，如海洛因或吗啡

it can kick off a cascade of brain activity that bathes the neurons in feel-good neurotransmitters and other chemicals.

它可以引发一系列的大脑活动，使神经元沉浸在感觉良好的神经递质和其他化学物质中。

The more neurons that are activated (and the more activated they are), the more pleasure we feel.

活跃的神经元越多（活跃的程度越高），我们就感觉越棒。

In essence, learning and problem solving get us high.

本质上来说，学习和解决问题会让我们很爽。

Amir and his mentor, University of Southern California professor of neuroscience and psychology Irving Bieder-man,

阿米尔和他的导师南加州大学神经科学和心理学教授欧文·比德曼

suspected that humor might feed the brain in much the same way that complex in-formation does.

猜想幽默可能会像复杂的信息一样对大脑产生影响。

People who study humor generally agree that most jokes are built around an incongruity—an inappropriate, absurd, surprising,

研究幽默的人通常都认为，大多数笑话都是围绕着不协调——不恰当的、荒谬的、令人惊讶的东西，

or unusual combination of two fundamentally different ideas or elements.

或两种根本不同的思想或元素的不寻常的结合。

(To wit: a six-foot-two neuroscientist in a fluffy fur coat and scruffy construction boots.)

（比如：一个身高六英尺二英寸的神经学家，穿着蓬松的裘皮大衣和破旧的施工靴。)

When we first see or hear this mash-up, we're confused. That's the setup. The punch line is the resolution of that confusion.

当我们第一次看到或听到这种混搭，我们会很困惑。就是这种设置。最妙的是困惑的解决。

(Oh, this is his idea of business casual! Wocka-wocka.)So in that sense, appreciating humor is not unlike solving a puzzle, and it yields a similar kind of satisfaction.

（哦，这就是他的商务休闲装！哇卡哇卡)。所以从这个意义上说，欣赏幽默就像解决一个难题，它能带来类似的满足感。

Instead of an aha moment, you get a haha moment.

不是一个恍然大悟的时刻，你经历的会是一个哈哈一笑的时刻。

In fact, Bieder-man and Amir theorized that because humor requires the brain to process lots of distinct types of information

实际上，比德曼和阿米尔提出了幽默需要大脑处理大量不同类型的信息的理论，

(Isn't it too hot in Southern California to dress in so many layers? What is considered appropriate business attire? Is it ever OK to wear fur?),

(在南加州穿这么多层衣服是不是太热了？什么是合适的商务服装？穿皮草合适吗？

funny revelations would activate different and more disparate parts of the brain than unfunny ones.

有趣的发现要比无趣的发现更能激活大脑中不同的部分。

This would excite the neurons even more, which would lead to the release of more neurotransmitters and activation of the reward centers of the brain.

这会加大对神经元的刺激，而这又会导致更多神经递质的释放和大脑奖赏中心的活跃。