(单词翻译:单击)
Science Proves That Love Is Blind
科学家证明爱是盲目的
Scientists have shown that there is a degree of truth in the old adage that love is blind. They have found that feelings of love lead to a suppression of activity in the areas of the brain controlling critical thought.
科学家已经证明，古老的谚语所说的，爱情是盲目的这一真理在一定程度上是正确的。他们发现，爱情的感觉会抑制大脑控制批判性思维的区域的活跃性。
It seems that once we get close to a person, the brain decides the need to assess their character and personality is reduced.
看上去，我们一旦接近了一个人，大脑对于对方的性格和品质的要求就会降低。
The study, by University College London, is published in NeuroImage.
英国伦敦大学学院对此的研究报告在《神经成像》杂志上发表。
The researchers found that both romantic love and maternal love produce the same effect on the brain. They suppress neural activity associated with critical social assessment of other people and negative emotions.
研究人员发现，无论是浪漫的爱情，还是母爱对大脑产生的影响是相同的。爱能够抑制那些会对他人进行批判性社会评价和消极情绪的神经活动。
The UCL team scanned the brains of 20 young mothers while they viewed pictures of their own children, children they were acquainted with, and adult friends.
伦敦大学的研究团队对20位年轻母亲在看自己孩子照片时的大脑进行扫描，还扫描了她们看其他熟人的孩子，以及成年的朋友时的大脑。
The team found that the patterns of brain activity were very similar to those identified in an earlier study looking at the effects of romantic love.
研究团队发现大脑活动的模式和早先研究爱对浪漫爱情影响的结果非常接近。
Both studies recorded increased activity in parts of the brain's "reward system".
这两项研究都记录了部分大脑的“奖赏系统”活动增加。
When these areas are stimulated—as they can be by food and drink, or even monetary gain—they produce feelings of euphoria.
这些区域受到刺激，如同吃食物、喝饮料、甚至收获财富，会让人产生愉悦的感觉。
But perhaps more surprisingly, both studies also showed reduced levels of activity in the systems necessary for making negative judgements.
但更令人惊讶的或许是，这两项研究也显示随着系统活跃性水平降低，消极判断也减少了。
Lead researcher Dr Andreas Bartels said it was crucial that both romantic and maternal love were viewed by the brain in a highly positive way—because both were crucial to the perpetuation of the species.
研究员领导者安德里亚·巴特尔博士说，重要的是，大脑用一种非常积极的方式来看待浪漫的爱情和母爱，因为两者对物种延续都至关重要。
