能夠對抗抑鬱的噴鼻劑

A nasal spray could be a new way to tackle depression and anxiety.
鼻噴劑是一種對抗壓抑和焦慮的新方法。

The spray, based on a natural brain chemical, could be effective within two hours, compared to several days for some of the most widely used antidepressant drugs.
該噴劑以天然大腦化學物質爲基礎，兩小時內就可見效，而通常使用的抗抑鬱藥要幾天才見效。

The liquid is released at the top of the nose and is designed to penetrate the brain areas involved in mood.
該液體是噴在鼻子頂部，使其滲透進大腦包括情緒的區域。

A clinical trial is now under way looking at the feasibility of the treatment.
一項臨牀試驗正在進行，檢驗該療法的可行性。

Researchers say future studies could look at the effects of the brain chemical in patients with other psychiatric disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder.
研究人員稱進一步的研究應關注患有如創傷後緊張症的精神疾病病人使用該大腦化學物質的效果。

It is estimated that one in four women and one in ten men will require treatment for depression at some time in their lives.
據估計，1/4女性和1/10男性一生中有時要接受抑鬱症治療。

One of the downsides of antidepressant pills is that they can take a long time to work — between two and eight weeks.
抗抑鬱藥的一個缺點就是需要一段時間才見效——2—8周。

In a new trial at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York, researchers are investigating the use of a nose spray containing a brain chemical called neuropeptide.
紐約西奈山醫學院進行一項新的試驗，研究人員調查含有神經肽鼻噴劑的使用情況。

These are chemicals used by nerve cells in the brain to communicate with each other.
這些都是大腦神經細胞用來與人交流的化學物質。

Some of the chemicals, and one in particular — neuropeptide Y — is thought to be involved in how the brain regulates behaviour and mood.
一些化學物質（神經肽Y例外）被認爲與大腦如何調節行爲和情緒有關。

This compound is the most abundant peptide in the human brain, and is found in nerve fibres alongside another chemical called norepinephrine, which is thought to be involved in regulating mood and anxiety.
這種化合物是人類大腦中最豐富的肽，是在神經纖維和另一種叫做去甲腎上腺素化學物質裏發現的，這種物質被認爲與調節情緒和焦慮有關。

Previous research has also shown that stress leads to the release of the chemical, and a recent study by University of Michigan researchers, published in the Archives of General Psychiatry, found that people who have a genetic predisposition to have low neuropeptide levels may be at higher risk of developing depression.
先前的研究已經表明壓力導致化學物質的釋放，而最近密歇根大學一項發表在《普通精神病學文獻》的研究發現，有遺傳素質的人神經肽水平較低，患上抑鬱症的風險更大。But though research has suggested neuropeptide Y may be effective for treating psychiatric disorders, there have been problems in moving the compound into the brain. This is mainly because it is a large molecule, and has difficulty passing through the blood-brain barrier which protects the brain from potentially harmful compounds in the blood.
但是儘管研究表明，神經肽Y對治療精神疾病有效，要將這種化合物注入腦中還很困難。這主要是因爲它是一種大分子物質，要穿過保護大腦免受血液中可能有害化合物入侵的血腦屏障很困難。

However, nasal sprays can overcome this problem.
然而，鼻噴劑可以克服這一問題。

The upper part of the nose is like a back door into the brain because the nerves involved in smell provide a pathway straight into the central nervous system.
鼻腔的上部就如同進入大腦的後門，因爲有關嗅覺的神經提供直接進入中樞神經系統的途徑。

The new trial, which involves 15 volunteers aged 25 to 45, is designed to investigate how well the spray and neuropeptide Y work in the brain, and the effects will be compared with a placebo.
新的試驗包括調查15個25—45歲的志願者，噴劑和神經肽Y在大腦中如何運作，效果將跟一種安慰劑進行對比。

Researchers, who expect results in about two months, use an extra-powerful device to get the liquid as high as possible in the nose, into the area at the very top which is rich in nerves used for detecting smells.
預計結果將在兩個月內出來，研究人員使用一種超強設備使鼻子裏面儘可能高的液體進入最頂部富含用來探測味道的神經的區域。

Commenting on the research, a spokesperson from mental health charity Mind says: ‘This research is at an early stage and it remains to be seen whether this trial will lead to a new treatment.
對該研究的評論，心理健康慈善組織發言人Mind說：“此項研究還處於初步階段，它能否成爲一種新的療法尚待考究。”

‘It is important to recognise that alternative approaches to antidepressants, such as talking therapies and exercise, can also have positive results.’
“認識抗抑鬱藥的替代方法，如談話療法和運動，是很重要的，同樣也有積極作用。”