“餓極成怒”是正常現象
Scientists Say Being 'Hangry' Is Normal And Perhaps Even Genetic
“餓極成怒”是正常現象
Do you get impatient and lose your temper when you've gone without nourishment for a long time? Then you are suffering from 'hanger', a newly coined term that describes the inexplicable irritation some of us experience when our stomachs are growling. Turns out there is logical scientific explanation for this often uncontrollable reaction.
在長時間沒吃東西的情況下，你會失去耐心甚至發怒嗎？現在有“Hangry”這個新詞來形容我們肚子餓得咕咕叫時無端的憤怒感了。事實上，這種失控的反應是符合科學原理的。
Though there are a number of factors that result in hanger, they all stem from low glucose levels in the bloodstream caused by lack of food. While other body organs can function using other nutrients, the brain relies solely on glucose. Thus when the levels start to get low the brain panics and sends instructions to other body organs that release hormones to increase the amount of glucose in the bloodstream. Among them is adrenaline, the same hormone that evokes a "flight or fight" response, when we face a dangerous situation.
產生飢餓感的原因有很多，但是都是由於身體缺乏食物補給，血液中葡萄糖水平降低導致的。其他身體器官正常運轉可以通過吸取別的營養物質，而大腦只依賴於葡萄糖。當血糖降低時，大腦十分驚慌，隨後會命令其他器官釋放荷爾蒙在血液中升糖。其中一種荷爾蒙就是當我們面對危險時，激發“或戰或逃”反應的腎上腺素。
Fortunately, for most people this is a transient irritation that is easily resolved with the intake of food. However, for a select few it results in hard to control violent aggression. Dr. Brad Bushman at Ohio State University thinks it may be worth investigating if there is a link between hanger and violence, a better understanding of hanger may also help people struggling with obesity.
幸運的是，對大多數人而言，這只是暫時的憤怒感，進食後即會消失。但還有個別人難以控制自己情緒，做出暴力行徑。俄亥俄州立大學的Brad Bushman博士認爲，飢餓和憤怒之間是否有聯繫是值得去研究的，對飢餓感更深層的瞭解也許能夠幫到肥胖症患者。
However, before we can use this study to our advantage, there is one mystery that still needs to be resolved - How is the feeling created? Salis says that if scientists can identify the exact 'molecular mechanisms' in the brain that triggers the sensations of hunger and hanger, they may be able to come up with a solution to mitigate its negative impact. Unfortunately, until they do find a cure, people with hanger issues will just have to keep it in check by eating lots of yummy (healthy) food!
然而，在我們利用這項調查造福大家之前，仍有其他問題需要搞清楚。比如，這種憤怒感究竟是怎樣產生的。Sail表示，如果科學家能揭開大腦激發飢餓或憤怒感的確切分子機制，也許能找到緩和“餓極成怒”現象的方法。不幸的是，在他們調查成功之前，捱餓的人只能靠吃美味（最好是健康）的食物來控制自己的情緒。
譯文屬原創，未經允許，不得轉載。
