VOA慢速英语:Using Electromagnetic Waves to Fight Depression(翻译)

People suffering from depression are finding help when electromagnetic waves enter their brains.
很多患抑郁症的人如今会寻求电磁波疗法，让电磁波进入大脑。

Mental health experts estimate that depression affects more than 120 million people worldwide. It severely affects the person’s quality of life and, in extreme cases, can lead to suicide.
心理健康专家估计全世界有超过1.2亿人受抑郁症困扰。抑郁症严重影响人们的生活质量，极端情况下还会导致人们自杀。

Anti-depressant medicines have been shown as an effective treatment for many patients. But the drugs are unable to help some people with the disorder.
抗抑郁药物对大多病人来说是有效的治疗方式。但药物不能帮助一些病人克服抑郁导致的失调。

For such persons, doctors may suggest deep transcranial magnetic stimulation, or DTMS for short.
对于这些患者，医生可能会建议病人接受短期的深度经颅磁刺激（DTMS）。

In this treatment, patients wear a helmet — a large hard hat on their head. The helmet is connected to a machine.
治疗中，病人要戴一个头盔，也就是在脑袋上戴一个大大的安全帽。头盔与机器相连。

An electric coil in the helmet sends out regular pulses of electromagnetic energy. These beating sounds produce changes in the brain area responsible for the disorder.
头盔中的电线圈会发射出有规律的电磁能脉冲。这种冲击的声音会使大脑中某些区域发生变化，对治疗失调有效。

In the treatment room, patient Wayne Sarles says he felt an improvement after four weeks of DTMS.
在治疗室，病人Wayne Sarles表示经过四周的DTMS治疗，他感到病情有所改善。

Since I started this treatment I’ve only had one cycle of deep depression and that’s uncharacteristic for this time frame so I’m very relieved.
“从开始这种治疗后，我只有一次陷入一周期深度抑郁，在那段时间那是不典型的，所以我感到如释重负。”

The first results are felt in about five days. Wagdi Attia is a mental health expert. He uses this treatment on his patients.
五天内就能感受到疗效。Wagdi Attia是一名心理健康专家。他利用这种疗法来治疗病人。

In three to four days later they said ‘yes, I’m out of it. Yes, I am more energized. Yes, I sleep better and I could function, I can go out I have a good relationship with my husband or my wife.’
“三到四天后，他们说‘我好了。我感到精力充沛。睡得更好了，可以正常活动了，我可以外出，和我丈夫或妻子的关系也不错。”

Electromagnetic brain stimulation is not new. It was first used to treat depression over 30 years ago. Now, a new generation of wiring can direct the energy to one part of the brain. DTMS starts with daily 20-minute-long treatments for 20 to 30 days. The patient then returns for treatment two to three times a week for several weeks.
电磁脑刺激不是最新的疗法。三十年前它就被首次用于治疗抑郁。如今，新一代的电线可以直接将电流通向大脑的某一部分。病人需要在前二十到三十天每天接受20分钟的DTMS治疗。之后几周每周接受两三次治疗就可以。

The only side effect is sometimes minor head pain.
该疗法的唯一副作用是有时会有轻微头痛。

Doctor Aaron Tendler is the chief medical officer of Brainsway, the company that makes the machine. He told VOA on Skype that it is hard to say how long the effects of DTMS last.
Aaron Tendler医生是Brainsway公司的首席医疗官，该公司生产DTMS疗法的设备。他在Skype上接受VOA采访时说，很难说DTMS的疗效能持续多久。

We do know that if a person continues maintenance, meaning if a person gets better from TMS and then continues some form of maintenance, meaning twice a week for 3 months, they’ll more than likely stay better.
“我们只知道如果一个人能继续治疗，也就是一个人如果接受DTMS治疗后情况有所改善，继续维持，也就是三个月内接受每周两次的治疗，他们的情况会更好。”

DTMS is being used in Europe to treat both depression and other conditions. Patients there are getting treated for dementia, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s disease. And DTMS is even being used to help some Europeans stop smoking.
DTMS在欧洲用于治疗抑郁和其他病情。可用于治疗患有如痴呆，老年痴呆症，帕金森氏综合症的病人。DTMS还被用于帮助某些欧洲人戒烟。

But in the United States, the federal Food and Drug Administration has approved it only for the treatment of drug-resistant depression.However clinical tests are continuing on other conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Both of those disorders, like depression, can get in the way of a person working and getting along with people.
但在美国，联邦食品和药物管理局只支持对抗抑郁药有抗性的病人使用该疗法。但临床测试仍然继续在其他疾病上进行，如强迫症，创伤后应激障碍。那些疾病和抑郁一样，也会妨碍病人的工作以及与他人的相处。

I’m Anne Ball.
Anne Ball为您报道。