真爱是最好的止疼药 竟能减轻痛苦

True love really can help to reduce painful feelings, researchers have discovered. 研究人员发现，真爱原来真的可以帮助减轻痛苦的感觉。

Tests on 17 women found that they were less affected by stinging sensations while looking at pictures of their partners.

在对17位女性进行了一项测试，结果显示，在将注意力集中在了和她们的伴侣的合照上之后，受测者受到刺痛感觉的影响明显减少了。

But their levels of discomfort actually increased when they were staring at images of spiders, objects or strangers.

不过当她们全省关注盯着照片内容是蜘蛛、某物体或陌生人时，她们不适的感受反而增加了。

The findings could help to pinpoint how emotions act on different areas of the brain and how uncomfortable feelings can be dealt with.

这项研究的结果有助于弄清楚情绪因素对于大脑不同部位的作用效果，以及不舒服的感觉对于有何影响。

'On a practical level if you are someone enduring pain or going in for a painful procedure bringing a loved one with you or brining a picture of a loved one with you may reduce the pain of the experience,' the study's lead author Naomi Eisenberger told the Toronto Star.

“说得实际一些，如果你正在感受或者即将感受到痛苦疼痛，有心爱的人陪在身边，或者随身带一张与其的合照，这将减轻你对于难受的感知。”主导这项实验的Naomi Eisenberger如是说。

Ms Eisenberger, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of California, Los Angeles, carried out the tests on 17 different women who were in long-term relationships.

身为美国洛杉矶大学心理学助理教授的Eisenberger女士在17名正处于长期稳定感情关系的女性身上进行了该实验。

An earlier study discovered that women felt less pain while they were either looking at a picture of their partner or while the person was holding their hand.

在这之前的一项实验发现，女性在看着爱人的照片，或者和他手牵手的时候，对于痛苦的感受会有所减少。

But this study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, is the first time that scientists have been unable to find the area of the brain that is responsible for the feelings.

不过如今的这项实验则是科学家们首次无法确定到底是大脑的哪个区域对这种感觉做出了反应。

Researchers used MRIs to monitor the women’s brains while administering stinging shocks to their body.

研究者们一边利用核磁共振仪器观测女性大脑的活动，一边对她们的身体进行突然性的刺激。

The women stared at pictures varying from their partner, strangers, or solid objects. They were then given a 20-point scale to use to rate their pain after each shock.

受测女性观看的图片多种多样，有她们的伴侣、陌生人或者固体物体。她们将感受到的痛感运用20分满分的方式进行区隔。

The pain scores were significantly lower for the women when they were looking at a picture of their partner.

在观看自己爱人的照片时，感受到的痛感的“得分”则特别的低。

The researchers discovered activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex which is associated with a feeling of safety.

研究者发现，在女性大脑正中前额叶皮层会出现一种与感受到安全感相关的脑活动。

The longer the women had been in the relationship and the more supported they were by their partner, the greater the level of activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, or VMPFC

女性处于感情关系的时间越长，或者获得伴侣更多，大脑正中前额叶皮层，也就是所谓的VMPFC的活动就越强烈。

The VMPFC is capable of inhibiting other pathways in the brain responsible for fear and anxiety. This area was also able to reduce pain, the researchers found.

VMPFC能够抑制大脑产生恐惧和焦虑的途径，这一区域也有够减轻对于痛苦的感知。

Researchers also discovered that the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, an area responsible for stress response, was less active when the women were looking at the photos of their other halves.

研究人员还发现，在女性观看爱人的照片时，她们大脑中对于压力做出反应的区域的活动也减少了。

She said that it could be arguesd that people who have been in their relationship longer may view their partner as a stronger cue for safety.

Naomi Eisenberger解释到，当长期处于稳定的感情关系之中，人们会将自己的伴侣看做是一个强有力的安全因素。

She added: 'This shows how strong of an effect our loved ones can have on us. They can lead us to feel less pain even when we’re simply reminded of them or looking at a picture of them.'

她还说：“这显示了爱人对于我们会产生多大的影响力。光是看看照片，就更够让我们感到并非有那么痛苦。”

Ms Eisenberger said that the images of snakes and spiders could have produced the opposite effect because 'over the course of our evolutionary history things like snakes and spiders have threatened our survival'.

Eisenberger表示蛇和蜘蛛的照片会产生相反的作用，因为“在我们进化的过程中，像蛇和蜘蛛这样的生物都曾威胁到人类的生存。”