"科學家在氣喘治療上有所突破"

他們可能發現了治療遲發性氣喘發作的方法。

科學家意外發現一種可能的新療法可醫治遲發性氣喘。倫敦帝國大學的研究人員在用老鼠實驗時有了新發現。他們發現一旦堵住動物的某些特殊神經，遲發性氣喘的反應就可以避免。若是他們可以用這個發現建立出可用於人體身上的治療方法，將會是一個大好的消息。將近有半數得氣喘患者經歷過遲發性的發作。

典型的氣喘發作通常在患者接觸到花粉、塵螨等過敏原的一小時內就會發生。但是遲發性的反應可能會在三到八小時後發生。這些案例中，過敏反應會發生在患者喉嚨和鼻子的一些特殊神經上。長期以來，結果會導致病患的呼吸道變窄。

倫敦帝國學院國家心肺學會的Maria Belvisi教授解釋他們的團隊如何在無意中發現這個結果。她說他們想在麻醉的老鼠身上進行一些研究。但是這不可能，因為麻醉藥停止神經的作用，也會阻止遲發性的發作。

(Health) Scientists Make Asthma Breakthrough

They could have found a possible cure for delayed asthma attacks.

Scientists have accidentally come across a possible new treatment for delayed asthma attacks. The researchers from Imperial College London were working with rats and mice when they made the discovery. They found that when they blocked special nerves in the animals, late asthmatic responses were prevented. If they can use their discovery to create a treatment for humans, it would be very good news. Around half of all asthma sufferers experience delayed attacks.

Standard asthmatic attacks usually happen less than one hour after a person comes into contact with allergens, for example pollen or dust bugs. But late responses can kick in three to eight hours later. In these cases, an allergic reaction affects special nerves in peoples throats and noses. Over time, this results in the narrowing of the persons airways.

Professor Maria Belvisi, the lead researcher from the National Heart and Lung Institute at Imperial College London, explained how the team stumbled across the finding. She said they wanted to carry out some research on rats that had received an anesthetic. This was impossible, though, because the anesthetic that stopped the nerves working had also blocked the late response.

想聽語音請上FunDay