芬太尼对大脑的影响（修正版）：英语精读讲义

Fentanyl is not a new drug

芬太尼并不是一种新药

but has seen such a dramatic increase in the past three years 講解

但在过去三年里，它的使用量急剧增长

that it has become a crisis in North America.

以至于在北美引发了一场危机。

Simply touching it may cause you to overdose. 語法

仅仅接触它，就可能导致药物过量。

So, what exactly does it do to your brain and body? 表達脈絡

那么，它究竟会对你的大脑和身体造成什么影响？

Fentanyl is an opioid that can inhibit pain signals 短語搭配

芬太尼是一种阿片类药物，能够抑制疼痛信号

in multiple pathways along the brain and spinal cord.

在大脑和脊髓多条通路中的传递。

This is why it was initially prescribed for pain relief. 表達脈絡

这正是它最初被用于止痛治疗的原因。

It also causes your brain to make extra dopamine

它还会促使大脑产生更多多巴胺

creating sensations of intense euphoria and relaxation. 語法

从而带来强烈的欣快感和放松感。

Essentially, fentanyl hijacks your body's built-in system of endorphins 習語

从本质上说，芬太尼会劫持人体自身的内啡肽系统

by binding to your opioid receptors

方法是与阿片受体结合

much in the same way your endorphins do 語法

就像内啡肽所做的那样

but at a significantly stronger level.

但作用强度要高得多。

This might sound fun 表達脈絡

这听起来也许挺美妙

but activating these receptors can also suppress your brain's ability 短語搭配

但激活这些受体也会抑制大脑

to detect CO2 levels in the body,

检测体内二氧化碳浓度的能力，

potentially causing a person to stop breathing.

甚至可能导致人停止呼吸。

On top of this, 表達脈絡

除此之外，

side effects include dizziness, chills, vomiting, fainting,

副作用还包括头晕、寒战、呕吐、昏厥、

difficulty urinating, and extreme constipation. 語法

排尿困难和严重便秘。

In addition, fentanyl is much stronger than other opioids,

此外，芬太尼的效力远强于其他阿片类药物，

100 times stronger than morphine 語法

是吗啡的100倍

and 50 times stronger than heroin.

也是海洛因的50倍。

For many drugs to work, 語法

许多药物要想起效，

they need to pass the blood-brain barrier. 用詞

就必须穿过血脑屏障。

This barrier allows small fat-soluble substances to pass 語法

这道屏障允许小型脂溶性物质通过

and water-loving molecules to be inhibited.

同时会阻挡亲水性分子。

Both morphine and heroin are lipid-soluble

吗啡和海洛因都具有脂溶性

but they have polar water-loving groups 用詞

但它们含有极性的亲水基团

that make them pass the barrier much more slowly,

因此穿过这道屏障的速度慢得多，

whereas fentanyl is extremely non-polar and fat-soluble 表達脈絡

而芬太尼则高度非极性，并且脂溶性很强

entering the brain within seconds.

能在几秒内进入大脑。

This means you only need tiny amounts to get high 用詞

这意味着，只需极少量就能让人产生强烈快感

and that's where, in part, the danger lies. 表達脈絡

而它的危险也部分源于此。

A lethal dose of fentanyl can be around 2 mg in a test tube

在试管中，芬太尼的致死剂量可能只有约2毫克

that looks like two grains of salt.

看起来只有两粒盐那么多。

And since a high level of precision

而且，由于必须极其精准

is needed to dose it effectively,

才能控制好用量，

it's very easy to overdose.

所以很容易用药过量。

In fact, there are some reported incidents of first responders 文化背景

事实上，有报道称，一些急救人员

ODing from simply touching fentanyl powder 用詞

仅仅因为接触了芬太尼粉末

or inhaling its dust.

或吸入其粉尘，就发生了药物过量。

Though some toxicologists doubt the accuracy of these cases. 表達脈絡

不过，一些毒理学家质疑这些案例是否准确。

If it can be administered in time, 用詞

如果能及时使用，

an injection of naloxone can be given to a person 文化背景

可以给患者注射纳洛酮

which works to stop an overdose by blocking opioid receptors. 語法

它会阻断阿片受体，从而逆转药物过量。

But the science cannot keep up 短語動詞

但科学研究的速度赶不上

with the rate of new fentanyl analogs being produced, 用詞

新型芬太尼类似物的生产速度，

like carfentanil which is 10,000 times more powerful than morphine

例如效力是吗啡1万倍的卡芬太尼

and has been cited for its possible use in chemical warfare.

有资料指出，它可能被用于化学战。

Today, drug overdose deaths in America are rising faster than ever 語法

如今，美国因药物过量而死亡的人数正以前所未有的速度上升

with 65,000 deaths in 2016 compared to 59,000 in 2015

2016年有6.5万人死亡，而2015年为5.9万人

and opioid use is the crux of the problem. 習語

阿片类药物的使用正是问题的核心。

For context, 表達脈絡

作为对比，

this is higher than the peak gun deaths,

这一数字高于枪支致死人数的历史峰值，

peak HIV deaths, and peak car crash deaths.

也高于HIV相关死亡人数和车祸死亡人数的历史峰值。

All evidence points towards the problem worsening by the end of 2017. 短語搭配

所有证据都表明，到2017年年底，这个问题还会进一步恶化。

The reason? 表達脈絡

原因是什么？

Research points to widespread prescription of opioids for pain

研究表明，医生普遍开具阿片类药物用于止痛

which leads to addiction.

而这会导致成瘾。

There's also an ease of access for non-prescribers 短語搭配

此外，没有处方的人也很容易获得这些药物

causing millions of tablets to fall into the wrong hands. 習語

使数百万片药物落入不该持有它们的人手中。

As the danger became more clear,

随着这种危险变得愈发明显，

doctors decreased prescriptions of opiates

医生减少了阿片类药物的处方量

but this didn't change the fact that thousands of people were addicted, 語法

但这并未改变已有数千人上瘾的事实，

causing them to seek out illegal markets. 短語動詞

于是他们转向非法市场寻药。

With an increase in demand,

随着需求增加，

illicit drug markets turned to cheaper production solutions. 短語動詞

非法毒品市场转而采用成本更低的生产方式。

Unlike heroin which is synthesized from poppies, 語法

与从罂粟中合成的海洛因不同，

fentanyl is entirely synthetic and can be made anywhere for cheap. 用詞

芬太尼完全由人工合成，可以在任何地方低成本制造。

China has become a heavyweight in manufacturing fentanyl 習語

中国已成为芬太尼制造大国

and North American law is working to seize supply.

而北美执法部门正努力截断其供应。

However, the UN urges that solutions to the crisis

然而，联合国强调，化解这场危机的办法

will lie in persuading people not to use opiates 短語搭配

在于劝说人们不要使用阿片类药物

as blocking China's market may simply cause production to move to another nation.

因为封锁中国市场可能只会让生产转移到另一个国家。

Several experts are calling for government support 短語動詞

多位专家呼吁政府提供支持

for safe consumption sites where people suffering addiction can be supervised, 講解

设立安全用药场所，让成瘾者能在监督下使用药物，

minimizing risk of overdose,

从而尽量降低药物过量的风险，

and be supported with counseling

并为他们提供心理辅导

and anti-withdrawal drugs that can help people stop using.

以及缓解戒断症状、帮助他们停药的药物。

But can some drugs be good for you?

但有些药物会不会反而对你有好处？

Check out our second video here

来看看我们的第二个视频

where we look through the surprising benefits of some illegal drugs

我们会在其中介绍一些非法药物令人意外的益处

and what new research is revealing.

并看看新研究揭示了什么。

Check it out by clicking the screen

点击屏幕即可观看

or using the link in the description.

也可以使用简介中的链接。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos every Thursday.

别忘了订阅，每周四观看更多科学视频。