Gambling and the Brain

58 对赌博时大脑活动情况的研究

DATE=6-14-01
TITLE=SCIENCE REPORT ?Gambling¹ and the Brain
BYLINE=George Grow

(Start at 0'11") This is Steve Ember with the VOA Special English SCIENCE REPORT. 
Many people get excited about games of chance, especially when they win. 
Scientists now have evidence that the brains of people who expect to win money (1) react much like those of people taking the (2) drug (3) cocaine².  They found that the idea of winning money activates³ areas of the brain that deal with (4) processes and (5) rewards.  The scientists say this may help to explain why some people depend on (6) illegal drugs, (7) gambling or other activities. 
Scientists in Boston, Massachusetts; (8) Princeton, New Jersey⁴ and (9) Montreal, Canada organized the study.  Their findings were reported in the publication Neuron. 
Hans Breiter of Massachusetts General Hospital led the study.  He and his team (10) demonstrated that different parts of the brain are involved in studying the possibility of receiving a gain or loss.  Many of these same areas of the brain also react when the (11) individual wins or loses money.
The study (12) involved twelve men who played a game that involved winning or losing money.  The scientists used a process called high-field functional⁵ (13) magnetic (14) resonance⁶ (15) imaging to measure brain activity in the men. 
The twelve players each were given fifty dollars.  They were told they might lose some or all of the money, keep it, or increase it.  Each man was shown computer images of (16) spinners or (17) pointers.  The spinners moved in (18) circles and could land in one of three areas.  Each area had a different (19) monetary⁷ value. 
The players watched the spinners move in circles for six seconds and then land in one of the areas.  The scientists measured brain activity in each man while the spinners were moving and after they had stopped.
Changes in brain activity were linked to the amount of money involved.  Brain activity increased as the amount of money increased. 
The scientists say the brain activity they observed was similar to that in earlier studies of people using drugs. Doctor Breiter says the results may support the theory that gambling may be similar to drug (20) dependence⁸. 
Massachusetts General Hospital reports that scientists may use brain tests in the future to measure what people like and do not like.  Future studies also may help scientists understand the development of (21) disorders⁹ such as drug dependency and other problems. 
This VOA Special English SCIENCE REPORT was written by George Grow. This is Steve Ember.

(1) react [ri`Akt] vi.起反应, 起作用, 反抗, 起反作用
(2) drug [drQg] n.毒品 
(3) cocaine [kE`kein] n.可卡因
(4) process [prE`ses] n.过程, 作用, 方法, 程序, 步骤
(5) reward [ri`wC:d] n.报酬, 奖金
(6) illegal [i`li:gEl] adj.违法的, 不合规定的
(7) gambling [`gAmbliN] n.赌博
(8) Princeton [ `prinst[n] n.普林斯顿
(9) Montreal [9mRntri`R:l] n. 蒙特利尔（加拿大）
(10) demonstrate [ `demEnstreit] vt.示范, 证明, 论证 vi.示威
(11) individual [9indi`vidjU[l] n.个人, 个体
(12) involved [in`vRlvd] adj.有关的
(13) magnetic [mA^`netik] adj.磁的, 有磁性的, 有吸引力的
(14) resonance [ `rezEnEns] n.共鸣, 回声
(15) imaging [i`mAdViN] [计] 成像
(16) spinner [ `spin[] n.[计]微调控制项
(17) pointer [ `pCintE] n.指示器
(18) circle [ `sE:kl] n.圆周, 圆形物
(19) monetary [ `mQnitEri] adj.货币的, 金钱的
(20) dependence [di`pendEns] n.依靠, 依赖
(21) disorder [dis`R:dE] n.杂乱, 混乱, 无秩序状态

1 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

2 cocaine   

n.可卡因，古柯碱（用作局部麻醉剂）

参考例句：

• That young man is a cocaine addict.那个年轻人吸食可卡因成瘾。
• Don't have cocaine abusively.不可滥服古柯碱。

3 activates   

使活动，起动，触发( activate的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Activates the window and displays it in its current size and position. 激活窗口，保持当前的大小及位置不变。
• Pulling out the alarm switch activates alarm and pushing it deactivates it. 闹钟的开和关是通过拔出和按入闹铃开关实现的。

4 jersey   

n.运动衫

参考例句：

• He wears a cotton jersey when he plays football.他穿运动衫踢足球。
• They were dressed alike in blue jersey and knickers.他们穿着一致，都是蓝色的运动衫和灯笼短裤。

5 functional   

adj.为实用而设计的，具备功能的，起作用的

参考例句：

• The telephone was out of order,but is functional now.电话刚才坏了，但现在可以用了。
• The furniture is not fancy,just functional.这些家具不是摆着好看的，只是为了实用。

6 resonance   

n.洪亮；共鸣；共振

参考例句：

• Playing the piano sets up resonance in those glass ornaments.一弹钢琴那些玻璃饰物就会产生共振。
• The areas under the two resonance envelopes are unequal.两个共振峰下面的面积是不相等的。

7 monetary   

adj.货币的，钱的；通货的；金融的；财政的

参考例句：

• The monetary system of some countries used to be based on gold.过去有些国家的货币制度是金本位制的。
• Education in the wilderness is not a matter of monetary means.荒凉地区的教育不是钱财问题。

8 dependence   

n.依靠，依赖；信任，信赖；隶属

参考例句：

• Doctors keep trying to break her dependence of the drug.医生们尽力使她戒除毒瘾。
• He was freed from financial dependence on his parents.他在经济上摆脱了对父母的依赖。

9 disorders   

n.混乱( disorder的名词复数 )；凌乱；骚乱；（身心、机能）失调

参考例句：

• Reports of anorexia and other eating disorders are on the increase. 据报告，厌食症和其他饮食方面的功能紊乱发生率正在不断增长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The announcement led to violent civil disorders. 这项宣布引起剧烈的骚乱。 来自《简明英汉词典》