知否：你的大脑在模仿疼痛
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A University of Toronto study indicates an inflamed injury may increase levels of a protein responsible for persistent pain. And the enhanced levels of that protein can cause one's brain to mimic pain long after the original pain source has disappeared. The Canadian researchers said their study might have serious implications for the millions of people suffering from chronic pain. The study demonstrates how inflammation in mice increases NR2B proteins -- proteins that facilitate nerve cell communication -- that imprint a painful response in the brain even after the stimulus is removed. "What we’re interested in uncovering are the molecular mechanisms that can turn early pain into persistent pain," said Physiology Professor Min Zhuo, the lead author of the study. "We believe that the body’s inflammatory response helps to etch the initial pain into our memory." The research is detailed in the current issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. 中文： 加拿大多伦多大学的一项最新研究结果显示，一个红肿发炎的伤口可能会使人们体内一种蛋白质的水平得以增加，而这种蛋白质则是造成持续疼痛的原因所在。 据合众社12月6日报道，大大增加的蛋白质水平可导致一个人的大脑在原始的疼痛来源消失很久以后，仍可模仿这种疼痛。研究人员对此表示，他们的研究对那些正在遭受慢性疼痛困扰的数百万加拿大人来说，可能会具有重大意义。 研究人员以老鼠作为实验对象。研究结果显示出，炎症导致老鼠体内的NR2B蛋白质水平得以增加的，而且即使当外界刺激物被移除后，老鼠脑部仍会留下一种痛苦的反应。NR2B蛋白质是传送神经信号的一种受体分子。对此，此项研究的负责人表示：“我们所感兴趣的是能够将早期疼痛转化为持续疼痛的分子机制。我们相信，身体内的炎性反应有助于把最初的疼痛蚀刻到我们的记忆当中。” 报道说，这一研究的详细内容被发表在最新一期的美国《神经科学杂志》上。 |
