【精英翻譯】的部落格

Brain stimulation may reduce anorexia symptoms 腦部刺激有助減輕厭食症狀

精英翻譯社轉自http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=973103&day=2016-03-28

◎ 蔡子岳

Core symptoms of anorexia nervosa, including the urge to restrict food intake and feeling fat, are reduced after just one session of a non-invasive brain stimulation technique, according to King’s College London research published today in PLOS ONE.

根據倫敦大學國王學院今日發表於「公共科學圖書館—綜合」（PLOS ONE）的研究報告，透過腦部刺激技術，在非侵入式療程中，神經性厭食症的核心症狀，包括限制攝取食物的衝動及肥胖感，獲得減輕。

This new study is the first randomised control trial to assess whether repetitive transcranial stimulation (rTMS), already an approved treatment for depression, is also effective in reducing symptoms of anorexia.

這項新研究是首次隨機對照試驗，以評估「重複性頭顱磁刺激療法」（rTMS）──已核可的憂鬱症療法──用於減輕厭食症狀是否同樣有效。

Dr Jessica McClelland said: "With rTMS we targeted the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, an area of the brain thought to be involved in some of the self-regulation difficulties associated with anorexia. This technique alters neural activity by delivering magnetic pulses to specific regions of the brain."

麥克里蘭博士表示，「我們以rTMS對腦部背外側前額葉皮質層加以刺激，這部分咸認與厭食症相關的自我調節困難有關。rTMS技術透過將磁脈衝傳送至腦部特定區域，改變神經活動。」

"We found that one session of rTMS reduced the urge to restrict food intake, levels of feeling full and levels of feeling fat, as well as encouraging more prudent decision-making. Taken together, these findings suggest that brain stimulation may reduce symptoms of anorexia by improving cognitive control over compulsive features of the disorder."

「我們發現，經rTMS一次療程後，限制食物攝取的衝動、飽足感及肥胖感程度都獲得減輕，受測者做決策也更為審慎。綜合評估，藉由刺激腦部，改善關於厭食症強迫症狀的認知控制功能，可減低厭食症狀。」

In the study, 49 people completed food exposure and decision-making tasks. Symptoms of anorexia were measured immediately prior to and following rTMS, as well as 20 minutes and 24 hours after the session.

在這項研究中，49位受試者接受食物暴露與決策兩種任務。在rTMS療程前20分鐘與24小時後，測量其厭食症狀變化。

Compared to the placebo group, they found that participants who had real rTMS showed a tendency for more prudent decision-making - that is, they waited for larger, later rewards (i.e. delayed gratification), rather than choosing the more impulsive smaller, sooner option.

相較於安慰劑組，他們發現，接受rTMS的受測者，決策表現出審慎傾向──也就是說，他們等待較大的、延後的獎勵（即延遲的享受），而非衝動性的較小、較快選項。