(单词翻译:单击)
Thanks to Brilliant for supporting this episode of SciShow. Go to Brilliant.org/SciShow to check out their course on Cryptocurrency.
感谢Brilliant对本期节目的支持。登录Brilliant.org/SciShow观看关于《加密数字货币》的视频
In the 1990s, doctors noticed something unusual happening in the islands of Guadeloupe,
在20世纪90年代，医生们注意到瓜德罗普岛、关岛、
Guam and New Caledonia, as well as in Caribbean communities in the UK.
新喀里多尼亚岛以及英国加勒比地区正在发生的一些不同寻常的事情。
Patients were presenting with stiffness, difficulty with movement, and dementia -- as well as tremors and hallucinations.
病人们的症状包括四肢僵硬、行动困难、痴呆，以及出现震颤和幻觉。
These symptoms were similar to what we see in Parkinson's disease, a progressive condition that affects motor and mental abilities.
这些症状和帕金森氏病的症状相似，一种影响患者行动和精神能力的慢性疾病。
But not quite the same. And doctors were able to tie the condition to a fruit.
但也不完全一样。医生们将这一疾病与一种水果相联系。
These patients were diagnosed with atypical parkinsonism, a cluster of conditions that are similar to classic Parkinson's disease
这些病人被诊断为非典型帕金森综合征，这是一种与典型帕金森病相似的病症
except that they don't respond to the same drugs, and may progress more quickly.
除了它们对相同药物不产生反应，且发病过程可能更快。
Because atypical parkinsonism is, well, atypical compared to classic Parkinson's,
因为非典型帕金森综合征与典型帕金森病相比是非典型的，
doctors suspected that something in the patients' environment was to blame.
所以医生怀疑是病人的生活环境出现了问题。
So they looked at their diets and discovered they all had a taste for a spiky green fruit called soursop.
所以他们查看了病人的饮食，发现他们都喜欢吃一种长满刺的绿色水果——刺果番荔枝。
The scientific name for soursop is Annona muricata, and it goes by a number of aliases: graviola, guanabana, corossol, and Brazilian pawpaw.
刺果番荔枝的学名是Annona muricata，它还有很多别名：graviola、guanabana、corossol以及Brazilian pawpaw。
It's said to have a mild pineapple-y, banana-y, strawberry-y flavor. And lots of people love it.
据称它有一点菠萝、香蕉、草莓的味道。很多人都喜欢它。
But unfortunately, many parts of the plant and fruit contain a low dose of a neurotoxin.
但不幸的是，这种植物和果实的许多部分都含有低含量的神经毒素。
Scientists suspected a toxin in soursop might be harming people's dopamine-producing neurons.
科学家们怀疑刺果番荔枝中的毒素可能会伤害人类的多巴胺生成神经细胞。
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in movement, and when those dopamine neurons die, it can lead to Parkinson's.
多巴胺是一种参与运动的神经递质，当多巴胺神经细胞死亡，就会导致帕金森症。
So in a 2002 study, researchers put extract of soursop root bark into a culture of dopamine neurons.
所以在一项2002年的研究中，研究人员将刺果番荔枝根皮提取物植入巴胺神经细胞培养物中。
After 24 hours, half of the neurons were dead. The soursop toxin had actually induced programmed cell death in those neurons.
24小时后，有一半的神经细胞都死亡了。刺果番荔枝的毒素实际上已经在这些神经元中诱导了程序性细胞死亡。
Researchers later identified the neurotoxin responsible as annonacin, and it's not just in the plant's root bark.
之后研究人员确认这种神经毒素是番荔枝素，且不仅仅存在于植物的根皮之中。
There are about 15 milligrams of annonacin in each soursop fruit and about 36 milligrams in a can of soursop nectar.
每一个刺果番荔枝果实中含有15毫克的番荔枝素，每一罐刺果番荔枝花蜜中含有约36毫克。
In a 2004 study, rats given injections of annonacin developed brain lesions within a month.
在2004年的一项研究中，被注射番荔枝素的大鼠在一个月内患上了脑损伤。
Though, those rats got intravenous infusions of the purified chemical, which isn't necessarily the same as eating fruit --
虽然这些大鼠被静脉注射了纯化学物质，这并不一定和吃水果一样——
plus, rats don't always respond to toxins the way we do.
再加上，大鼠并不总是和人类一样对毒素产生反应。
Still, studies like these have established that this chemical isn't the safest thing for us. There's a twist, however.
类似的研究表明，这种化学物质对我们来说并不是最安全的。但也有转折。
Because annonacin isn't the only thing hiding out in this fruit. Scientists have identified other,
因为番荔枝素并不是唯一一种藏在该水果内的物质。科学家们还在刺果番荔枝中
totally separate chemicals in soursop that may protect dopamine neurons and help treat Parkinson's.
发现了其他的完全不同的化学物，可能会保护多巴胺能神经元，并帮助治疗帕金森病。
The chemicals are called tryptamine-derived alkaloids. They're similar in structure to melatonin,
这种化学物质被称为色胺衍生生物碱。它们和褪黑激素结构相似，
a hormone involved in sleep regulation that can have protective effects on dopamine neurons.
褪黑激素是一种参与睡眠调节的激素，可以对多巴胺能神经元有保护作用。
In a series of studies, a team based in France synthesized compounds based on ones found in soursop,
在一些列研究中，一个位于法国的团队以刺果番荔枝中发现的物质为基础合成了化合物，
modified their chemistry, and tested them for their ability to protect dopamine neurons from damage.
修改了它们的化学成分，并对它们保护多巴胺能神经元不受损害的能力进行了测试。
Their most promising candidate was a molecule they called PPQ.
他们发现最具希望的候选人是被他们称为PPQ的分子。
And it helped to counteract the loss of dopamine cells in a mouse model of Parkinson's.
它帮助抵消了帕金森老鼠模型中失去的多巴胺能神经元。
More trials will be needed, but the researchers say PPQ is a promising candidate for Parkinson's treatment.
虽然还需要进行更多的试验，但研究人员表示PPQ是帕金森氏症的一种有希望的候选治疗方法。
So soursop – a widely loved but slightly toxic food that can cause Parkinson's symptoms could also lead us toward a treatment for Parkinson's.
所以刺果番荔枝这种受到广泛喜爱且含有轻微毒素的食物，可以导致帕金森的症状，也可以引领我们找到治疗帕金森症的方法
Talk about a frenemy. Speaking of frenemies, what's the deal with cryptocurrency? And what the heck is blockchain?
这就是友敌。说到友敌，加密货币是怎么回事？区块链到底是什么？
Brilliant's course on cryptocurrency can help you understand how it all works whether it's friend, foe, or both.
Brilliant关于加密数字货币的课程可以帮助大家理解它的运转方法，以及它是敌是友，亦或是友敌。
It turns out there's a lot of math to learn there.
事实证明，其中需要学习很多数学知识。
And Brilliant has lots more math courses if you're looking to learn even more plus science, engineering, and computer science.
Brilliant也有很多关于数学的课程，如果你想再学学科学、工程和电脑科学的话。
The courses are designed by educators and lifelong learners from prestigious universities around the world,
这些课程由来自世界各地的教育家和终生学者设计，
all to help you sharpen your math and science skills.
都能帮助大家提高你的数学和科学技能。
Right now, the first 200 people to sign up at Brilliant.org/SciShow will get 20% off an annual Premium subscription to Brilliant.
现在前两百名注册Brilliant.org/SciShow的用户将获得Brilliant年度会员八折优惠。
And by checking them out, you're supporting SciShow, too -- so thanks.
点击观看他们的课程，也是在支持我们的节目，所以感谢大家。
