抑郁症的科学：英语精读讲义

With over 350 million people affected by depression worldwide, 語法

全球有超过3.5亿人受到抑郁症影响，

it's no doubt an incredibly real and serious issue.

毫无疑问，这是一个极其真实而严重的问题。

But what exactly is going on inside of a depressed person? 短語動詞

但抑郁症患者的体内究竟发生了什么？

Is there a biological basis for these intense feelings of sadness? 短語搭配

这些强烈的悲伤感有生物学基础吗？

In the past, depression was often described as simply a chemical imbalance in the brain. 用詞

过去，抑郁症常被简单地描述为大脑中的化学物质失衡。

Specifically, scientists believed that a lack of the neurotransmitter serotonin was to blame, 短語搭配

具体来说，科学家认为罪魁祸首是神经递质血清素不足，

which is often referred to as the feel-good chemical. 短語搭配

血清素常被称为“让人感觉良好的化学物质”。

However, the only real evidence for this was that when some depressed people were prescribed drugs which increased serotonin levels,

然而，唯一真正的证据是：一些抑郁症患者服用了能提高血清素水平的药物后，

it helped alleviate their symptoms. 短語搭配

症状有所缓解。

But while chemicals most certainly are involved, 語法

不过，虽然化学物质肯定参与其中，

this view doesn't really capture just how complex depression is. 語法

这种观点却无法真正体现抑郁症有多么复杂。

In recent years, scientists began to notice that the brain cell growth and connections may actually play a larger role. 短語搭配

近年来，科学家开始注意到，脑细胞的生长和连接实际上可能发挥着更大的作用。

When we look at the brain of a depressed person,

当我们观察抑郁症患者的大脑时，

studies show that the hippocampus tends to be much smaller than average. 語法

研究显示，他们的海马体往往比平均水平小得多。

Other areas of the brain are also physically affected,

大脑的其他区域在生理结构上也会受到影响，

but this region in particular controls memory and emotion.

但这个区域尤其负责控制记忆和情绪。

And the longer a person has been depressed, 語法

而且，一个人患抑郁症的时间越长，

the smaller the hippocampus becomes.

海马体就会变得越小。

The cells and networks literally deteriorate.

其中的细胞和神经网络确实会退化。

It turns out that stress may actually be a main trigger in the decrease of new neurons in this area of the brain. 短語搭配

事实证明，压力可能正是导致大脑这个区域的新生神经元减少的主要诱因。

In fact, studies have shown that when this region of the brain is regenerated and new neurons are stimulated,

事实上，研究表明，当大脑的这个区域再生、新神经元受到刺激时，

mood improves.

情绪就会改善。

Interestingly, many modern drugs, including those which affect serotonin levels,

有趣的是，许多现代药物，包括会影响血清素水平的药物，

have an indirect effect on the growth of brain cells. 短語搭配

都会间接影响脑细胞的生长。

This is likely why serotonin-based drugs seem to help some patients, 表達脈絡

这很可能就是为什么针对血清素的药物似乎对一些患者有效，

but not for the reasons we once thought. 表達脈絡

但原因并非我们过去所认为的那样。

Instead, they promote the release of other chemicals which ultimately stimulate neurogenesis or the growth of new neurons. 短語搭配

相反，这些药物会促进其他化学物质的释放，最终刺激神经发生，也就是新神经元的生长。

Knowing this, some scientists now believe focus should be on drugs which directly affect neurogenesis. 講解

了解到这一点后，一些科学家如今认为，重点应该放在直接影响神经发生的药物上。

But while your neurons and chemicals may be the direct influencers,

不过，虽然神经元和化学物质可能是直接的影响因素，

many genetic factors have been discovered as well.

研究也发现了许多遗传因素。

One particular study found that a variation in the serotonin transporter gene leaves individuals more vulnerable to depression. 語法

其中一项研究发现，血清素转运体基因的一种变异会使人更容易患上抑郁症。

Every individual has two copies of the gene,

每个人都有这个基因的两个副本，

one from each parent,

分别来自父母双方，

and this gene can either be short or long.

而这个基因可以是短型，也可以是长型。

After tracking 800 young adults over 5 years,

在对800名年轻人进行为期5年的跟踪后，

the study revealed that 33% of individuals with one short version became depressed after stressful life events,

研究发现，携带一个短型基因的人中，有33%在经历充满压力的生活事件后患上了抑郁症，

and people with two short genes fared even worse. 用詞

而携带两个短型基因的人情况更糟。

On the other hand, 表達脈絡

另一方面，

those with two long genes were much less likely to become depressed with similar life stress. 語法

携带两个长型基因的人在承受类似生活压力时，患抑郁症的可能性要低得多。

Many other genes have been identified which increase the likelihood of depression too, 短語搭配

研究人员还发现了许多其他会增加抑郁症患病风险的基因，

and it makes sense when you consider that depression and bipolar disorder both run in families. 習語

考虑到抑郁症和双相情感障碍都有家族遗传倾向，这也就说得通了。

Studies of identical twins show that if one has bipolar disorder, 語法

对同卵双胞胎的研究表明，如果其中一人患有双相情感障碍，

the other has a 60 to 80% chance of developing it too.

另一人也有60%到80%的概率患上这种疾病。

So, while the true cause or causes of depression have yet to be pinned down precisely, 講解

所以，尽管抑郁症真正的病因目前仍未被准确确定，

and trust us, there's a huge list of other variables that studies suggest may come into play, 習語

而且请相信我们，研究显示可能参与其中的其他变量还有一长串，

it's important to remember that depression is a disease with a biological basis

但请务必记住，抑郁症是一种有生物学基础的疾病，

along with psychological and social implications.

同时也具有心理和社会层面的影响。

It's not simply a weakness that somebody should get over 短語動詞

它并不只是一种需要当事人自己克服的软弱，

or even something that we have a say in. 習語

甚至也不是我们能够左右的事情。

And just like heart disease or cancer,

就像心脏病或癌症一样，

shedding light onto the subject is of the utmost importance in order to bring funding and proper research. 講解

让这个问题受到更多关注至关重要，这样才能争取到资金并开展恰当的研究。

But is depression only a human phenomenon?

但抑郁症是人类独有的现象吗？

We look into the question do dogs get depressed in our latest ASAP Thought video 短語動詞

在最新一期 ASAP Thought 视频中，我们探讨了“狗会不会抑郁”这个问题，

and discover the many studies done to understand depression among other species,

并了解了为研究其他物种的抑郁症而开展的众多研究，

including your pets at home.

其中也包括你家里的宠物。

You can click the link in the description for that video.

你可以点击简介中的链接观看该视频。

You can also check out the book Animal Madness by Laurel Braitman,

你也可以看看 Laurel Braitman 所著的《Animal Madness》，

which touches on the subject.

书中也谈到了这个话题。

In fact, you can get it for free from our friends at Audible by going to audible.com/asap.

事实上，只要访问 audible.com/asap，就能从我们的朋友 Audible 那里免费获得这本书。

Audible is the leading provider of audiobooks with over 150,000 downloadable titles across all types of literature.

Audible 是领先的有声书提供商，拥有超过15万部可下载作品，涵盖各类文学。

You can download this audiobook or another of your choice for free at audible.com/asap.

你可以在 audible.com/asap 免费下载这本有声书，或任选另一本。

And with a subscription, you get one free book a month.

订阅后，你每个月还能免费获得一本书。

Special thanks to Audible for making these videos possible.

特别感谢 Audible 的支持，让这些视频得以制作。

If you think you're suffering from depression, we've included some resources and more information in the description. 短語搭配

如果你觉得自己可能患有抑郁症，我们在简介中提供了一些资源和更多信息。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

记得订阅，观看每周更新的更多科学视频。