研究:藥物的療效取決於患者的心態?
Researchers from Oxford Cambridge and two German universities made their conclusions after a novel experiment examining the role of conscious thought in pain perception.
英國牛津大學、劍橋大學和德國二所大學的科研人員通過一系列實驗之後得出結論，人的心態對疼痛感受起着重要作用。，
First 22 volunteers had a pain device put on their skin that was too hot for comfort.
科研人員對22位志願者進行過試驗，他們首先用一種產生疼痛感覺的加熱器具放在志願者皮膚上，讓它給志願者造成燒灼感。
Each then had an intravenous line attached to deliver a powerful opiate-based painkiller.
然後，用威力強大的鴉片基止痛劑通過靜脈注射到志願者身上。
The volunteers were asked to rate the pain before any painkiller was introduced. The average score from 0 to 100 was 66.
靜脈注射止痛劑前，志願者根據0級到100等級對他們疼痛感覺給予評級，此時得到的平均值是66級。
Then the researchers started providing the painkiller without telling the volunteers they had done so. The average score dropped to 55.
然後，研究人員給志願者靜脈注射止痛劑，但不告訴他們這一事實，這次下跌到平均55級。
But when the scientists told them they had started administering the painkiller the score dropped again to 39.
假若告訴志願者給他們注射了止痛劑，他們對疼痛感的評級下跌到39級。
When they said they had stopped providing the painkiller the score rose to 64 - even though the opiate was still flowing.
儘管鴉片基止痛劑仍在通過靜脈流入志願者體內，假若科研人員謊稱已經停止注射了止痛劑，他們疼痛評級又上升到64級，
At the same time the volunteers' brain activity was monitored using MRI scans. These showed their brains' pain networks were more active when they thought the drug was not being administered while 'positive' thoughts that the painkiller was flowing inhibited such activity.
在此時刻，科研人員通過MRI掃描監控志願大腦活動。掃描圖像表明，志願者若認爲沒有注射止痛藥劑時，他們大腦疼痛神經更活躍，而止痛劑正在流入體內“正確”心態卻抑制了這種活性。
Professor Irene Tracey of the Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain at Oxford University who led the research said: "Doctors shouldn’t underestimate the significant influence that patients’ negative expectations can have on outcome.
領導該項研究的牛津大學大腦功能磁性共振成像研究中心Irene Tracey教授說：“醫生不能低估病人憂慮情緒對醫療效果產生的重大影響。
"For example people with chronic pain will often have seen many doctors and tried 16many drugs that haven’t worked for them.
“舉例來說，有些患有慢性疼痛病的病人常常反覆找不同醫生看病，試用過高達16種的許多藥物，但仍對他們無任何療效
“They come to see the clinician with all this negative experience not expecting to receive anything that will work for them.
“這些病人帶着病難治好的經歷去看醫生，卻沒有期望能得到任何有效藥方治好病
"Doctors have almost got to work on that first before any drug will have an effect on their pain."
“醫療界已經重視並開始研究這些病人用各種藥物難以緩解病情的原因。”
The research is published in the journal Science Translational Medicine.
該研究報告發表在“Science Translational Medicine. ”雜誌上。
