你的大脑与死藤水：这种致幻药物有何魔力？：英语精读讲义

The hallucination inducing drug Ayahuasca has been used for centuries 語法

致幻药物阿亚瓦斯卡（死藤水）已有数百年的使用历史

by tribes in South America

使用者是南美洲的部落

during spiritual ceremonies.

他们会在灵性仪式中服用它。

But as it becomes more mainstream 語法

但如今，它正日益成为主流

for those seeking optic and auditory hallucinations,

尤其受到追求视觉和听觉幻觉者的关注，

what exactly is it 表達脈絡

那么它究竟是什么

and how does it affect your body and brain?

又会怎样影响你的身体和大脑？

Ayahuasca is actually a combination

实际上，死藤水是由

of the leaves of one plant

一种植物的叶子

and the vines of another,

和另一种植物的藤茎混合而成的，

neither of which have any hallucinogenic 語法

这两种材料单独使用时

power on their own.

都没有任何致幻作用。

But the leaves do contain DMT, 語法

但叶子中确实含有 DMT，

which is structurally similar 短語搭配

它的结构类似于

to your neurotransmitter serotonin

神经递质血清素

and to the chemical found in magic mushrooms.

以及迷幻蘑菇中的化学物质。

The problem is your gut enzymes 表達脈絡

问题在于，肠道中的酶

normally deactivate DMT

通常会让 DMT 失去活性

before it's absorbed into your bloodstream,

使其无法被吸收到血液中，

and this is where the vines come in. 短語搭配

而藤茎正是在这里发挥作用。

They inhibit your gut enzymes 語法

它会抑制肠道酶

from working properly

使其无法正常工作，

and allow DMT to travel within your blood

从而让 DMT 随血液流动

and eventually cross the blood-brain barrier.

并最终穿过血脑屏障。

The effects of the drink

这种饮品的药效

usually hit around half an hour after consumption, 用詞

通常在饮用约半小时后出现，

with hallucinations peaking after 1 hour 語法

幻觉会在一小时后达到顶峰

and subsiding within 4 to 6 hours.

并在四到六小时内消退。

But these hallucinations are reported to be different 語法

但据报告，这些幻觉不同于

from drugs like LSD and shrooms

LSD 和迷幻蘑菇等药物所致的幻觉，

in that most people are fully aware 短語搭配

因为大多数人都清楚地知道

that they're visually hallucinating.

自己看到的是幻觉。

In addition, instead of hearing voices, 語法

此外，人们听到的并不是说话声，

the sounds heard are usually exasperations

而通常是被放大的

of the noises already occurring around them.

周围本来就存在的声音。

And unlike those who consume LSD or shrooms 語法

而且，与那些服用 LSD 或迷幻蘑菇

for a good trip, 用詞

只为享受一场美妙迷幻体验的人不同，

many who drink Ayahuasca

许多饮用死藤水的人

are seeking to reconcile

是为了与

with their thoughts and emotions,

自己的思想和情绪和解，

as well as past and present traumatic events.

也为了面对过去和现在的创伤事件。

Afterwards, most feel more at ease 短語搭配

体验结束后，大多数人会更从容地

with their thoughts

面对自己的想法，

and more accepting of their present situation.

也更能接受目前的处境。

The default mode network 文化背景

默认模式网络

is a distinct area of the brain that,

是大脑中的一个独特区域，

if overactive, 語法

当它过度活跃时，

is associated with depression,

会与抑郁、

anxiety, and social phobia.

焦虑和社交恐惧症相关。

And fMRI brain scans show

功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）脑扫描还显示，

that Ayahuasca causes a significant decrease 短語搭配

死藤水会显著降低

in activity within the default mode network.

默认模式网络内的活动。

This is usually linked with a meditative state

这通常与冥想状态有关，

and explains why some Ayahuasca drinkers

也解释了为何一些饮用死藤水的人

feel at peace with themselves 習語

会感到内心平和，

and find a renewed sense of purpose 短語搭配

并重新找到人生目标，

after a trip.

而这一切发生在迷幻体验之后。

Additionally, DMT has been linked with proteins 用詞

此外，DMT 还被发现与某些蛋白质有关，

that promote the maintenance of long-term memory,

这些蛋白质能促进长期记忆的维持、

neural plasticity

神经可塑性

and the regeneration of new neurons.

以及新神经元的再生。

It can bind to specific receptors

它可以与特定受体结合，

found at mitochondria and endoplasmic reticula,

这些受体位于线粒体和内质网上，

and may even have the potential 語法

它甚至可能有能力

to kill certain cancerous cells.

杀死某些癌细胞。

On top of this, 表達脈絡

除此之外，

alkaloids from the vine have been shown 語法

研究还表明，藤茎中的生物碱

to induce apoptosis in mice melanoma cells

可诱导小鼠黑色素瘤细胞

and certain liver cancer cells in humans.

和某些人类肝癌细胞发生凋亡。

This is not to say that Ayahuasca 表達脈絡

这并不是说死藤水

is a replacement for radiation or chemotherapy, 短語搭配

可以取代放疗或化疗，

but it may hold future possibilities

但它未来或许能为

for cancer research.

癌症研究带来新的可能。

Interestingly, unlike other drugs

有趣的是，与其他药物不同，

such as alcohol or cocaine,

比如酒精或可卡因，

Ayahuasca does not seem to create a tolerance, 語法

死藤水似乎不会让人产生耐受性，

so regular drinkers aren't required to drink more

所以经常饮用的人无须喝得更多

in order to achieve the same effect

便能获得相同的效果，

experienced the first time.

就像第一次饮用时那样。

After consumption,

饮用之后，

drinkers usually suffer violent retching,

人们通常会剧烈干呕，

vomiting, and even diarrhea

呕吐，甚至腹泻，

as the brew is extremely acidic, 語法

因为这种饮品的酸性极强，

making an upset stomach normal 語法

所以胃部不适十分常见，

even in experienced drinkers.

即使有经验的饮用者也不例外。

And there is a dark side of Ayahuasca too. 習語

死藤水也有其黑暗的一面。

Fatalities have been linked to its ingestion,

有些死亡案例被认为与饮用它有关，

particularly among tourists,

尤其是在游客当中，

though the manner of death 講解

尽管具体的死亡原因

is often undetermined.

往往无法确定。

The increase in popularity

随着它越来越受欢迎，

has also given rise to fake shamans 短語搭配

冒牌萨满也随之出现，

unqualified to create the brew safely.

他们根本不具备安全调制这种饮品的资质。

Ultimately, the data is currently too sparse 語法

归根结底，目前的数据仍过于有限，

to seriously consider Ayahuasca recreationally

不足以让我们认真考虑将死藤水用于娱乐，

and more clinical trials are required 語法

还需要开展更多临床试验，

to conclude whether Ayahuasca is safe.

才能判断死藤水是否安全。

Special thanks to Audible

特别感谢 Audible

for supporting this episode

对本期视频的支持，

to give you a free 30-day trial

你可以获得 30 天免费试用，

at audible.com/asap.

网址是 audible.com/asap。

This week we wanted to recommend

本周我们想推荐

the book Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks,

奥利弗·萨克斯的《幻觉》，

which takes an in-depth look 短語搭配

本书深入探讨了

into the myriad of conditions

各种各样

that induce hallucinations

会引发幻觉的状况，

and shows just how common they actually are. 語法

并揭示了幻觉其实有多么常见。

You can get a free 30-day trial

你可以获得 30 天免费试用，

at audible.com/asap

只需访问 audible.com/asap，

and choose from a massive selection.

即可从海量内容中挑选。

We love them as they're great

我们很喜欢这些有声书，因为它们非常适合

when you're on the go. 習語

出门在外时收听。

And subscribe for more weekly science videos.

还请订阅频道，收看更多每周更新的科学视频。