Thursday, September 28, 2017

Can Thoughts Influence the Expression of Genes?

『心理作用的醫療效果』思想能影響基因的表達嗎?

Can Thoughts Influence the Expression of Genes? –

《編按》
曾經有位日本著名醫學專家曾說,許多病人每日服用的醫藥(medication) ,多半並不需要,亦即不服用也不影響病情。真是這樣也許是吧。尤其是疼痛等慢性疾病(chronic diseases) ,如關節炎(arthritis) 或與代謝作用(metabolism)相關的病痛。依本文作者看法,長期服用止痛藥(pain-killer)如習慣成性(habit-forming) ,對心理會造成影響,因為病人基於某種信念,認為服了藥就會止痛,對醫藥的依賴也隨之加深。這就是作者認為「思想能影響人體基因的道理。

原作者:不詳

「genetic influences」的圖片搜尋結果    「genetic influences」的圖片搜尋結果
                  遺傳基因對行為的影響                           行為遺傳 (生理遺傳、基因、環境)

To clarify, “influence your genetics” means to turn genes on or off. Not all genes are accessible to modification. We have critical periods in development during which certain genes may be influenced before they go silent. For example, the genes that build the structure of your body. We have only one window of time during which to build arms, legs, teeth, etc. During this window, things like drugs, maternal illness and nutrition can affect genetic expression. Once that window closes, we cannot “will” to grow a new tooth or replace an amputated limb.
說清楚一些,「影響你們的遺傳基因」意味著打開或關閉基因。並非所有的基因都可以修改。在發展期間,我們遭遇關鍵時期,某些基因在默默無聞之前,可能受到影響。例如,建造你軀體結構的基因。我們只有一個時間的視窗,來打造胳膊、 腿、 牙齒等。在此視窗中,諸如藥物、產婦疾病和營養可以影響遺傳基因的表達。一旦該視窗關閉,我們將無法"決心想要"長出新牙或替換斷肢再植。

                                                                                                        「genetic influences」的圖片搜尋結果
                             天生與後天之争辯-包含家庭因素、同性双包胎和收養兒童之比較

Other genes are operative throughout your life, making hormones and enzymes, building proteins to digest food, replacing cells, repairing damage, etc. . These are the ones which might be influenced.
在你一生中其他的基因都是在運作,它們製造荷爾蒙和(酵素),建立蛋白質來消化食物,取代細胞,修復受損等等。這些都是那些可能會受影響的基因。

The simplest demonstration that we do influence our genes by our thoughts is the Placebo effect, in which an inert substance can behave like a real drug.
藉由思想,我們的確影響我們的基因最簡單的說明,就是安慰劑的效應,在此效應中,一種惰性物質可以表現得像一個真正的毒品一樣。

When we are given a Placebo pain killer, the mere belief in the power of this pill causes us to generate real endogenous molecules which actually do block pain.
當我們服用安慰劑止疼藥片時,光相信這顆藥丸的力量,就會使我們產生真正內源性分子,而實際阻止了疼痛的感覺

This can be proven by giving Naloxone to a person after he begins showing a placebo effect of pain relief. Naloxone blocks the action of opioids (pain killers). Once you administer the Naloxone to the person experiencing placebo pain relief, the placebo effect disappears. That is, the pain returns.
在病人開始顯示止痛劑的安慰性效應之後,通過讓他服用(嗎啡),就可以證明。納洛酮(嗎啡)能阻斷鴉片類藥物(止痛藥)的藥性。一旦你讓服用過安慰疼痛緩解的人,服用納洛酮(嗎啡),安慰劑效應就消失了。易言之,痛苦又回復。

This means the person had created their own opioids(from the mere belief that he would be relieved) and that these opioids (which effectively silenced pain centers) could be blocked (effect removed) by Naloxone, just as real molecules of heroin would be blocked.
 (從單純的相信,他的痛會好的信念),這意味著這個人已創造了他們自己的鴉片類藥物,(此等藥物有效壓制了疼痛中心區),而納洛酮(嗎啡)可阻断鴉片類藥物(使喪失藥效) 正如海洛因真實的分子會被阻断一様。

This demonstrates that the genetic machinery can be turned on by thoughts.
這表明人類思想可以開啟遺傳性的機制效應。

Other examples are the calming effect and reduction of lactic acid brought about by meditation (Wallace RK, Benson H. The physiology of meditation. 1972). Or the therapeutic effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in changing one's maladaptive (stress causing) thoughts into more productive interpretations. Changes in perceived stress levels have a dramatic effect on cortisol production (see Robert Sapolsky Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers). It is rumored that prolonged exposure to stress can turn one’s hair grey and contribute to aging. Too Much Stress May Give Genes Gray Hair.
其他的例子是,鎮靜的效果和因冥想而導致的乳酸減少(見華萊士 RK,本森 H. 所著的「冥想的生理作用」。1972 年作)。或在將一個人的適應不良思考(引起憂鬱)改變為更具成就的詮釋時,認知行為療法的療效。被感覺到憂鬱程度的變化,對皮質醇的產生,有戲劇性的影響(見羅伯特 · 薩波斯基所著「為什麼斑馬不會得到潰瘍症」)。據傳長時期的憂鬱可以使頭髮變成灰色,並使人老化。太多的精神壓力可能給基因帶來灰白的頭髮。

Studies of single mothers raising disabled children showed a shortening of telomeres at a rate thirteen times that of age matched controls (Epel et al . 2004) Happily, in providing these mothers with a support group, the production of telomerase, the enzyme which acts to restore some of this damage, will increase. So, ones’ social predicament influences one's biology.
扶養殘疾兒童的單身母親的研究,已顯示出她們比同年齡婦女,端粒酶縮短十三倍。 (et al.2004年座談幸運的是,在提供支這些母親的同時,端粒酶的製造,即恢復一些這種損害的酶就會增加。所以人的社會困境會影響他的生物狀態

                                                              「genetic influences」的圖片搜尋結果
           婦女易罹患的「猩紅狼瘡症-Lupus」-和遺傳基因有關

In sum, within certain parameters, the mind and body operate dynamically. But you cannot wish yourself to be taller, slimmer or improve your features this way.
總之,在一定範圍內,人類的頭腦和身體可以充滿活力地運作。但是你不能希望自己長得更高,苗條或通過這種方式來改進你的特點。

《譯者後記》:
台灣仍有些生活在較落後地區的人們,迄今仍相信廟宇的神明如乩童能治病,乩童開列治病之藥方,僅是「香灰」加一張冥錢,燒化充水服用。奇怪的是,有時疼痛症狀消失。因為患者對所謂的「神明」和「乩童」具有確能治病的『信心(confidence and trust) 。有時當你感到疼痛異常,但到了診所,病情突然減輕三分之一,看到醫生再減輕三分之一,也許還未打針、服藥,完全不痛了。這是心理隨『生理基因』的轉變而形成的效應。因此有人說,有時服用自己信賴醫生開出的處方藥,藥效會相對增加,你相信嗎?

Translated by

Justin Lai 譯于美國南加州


09/26/2017

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