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They were able to turn off the urge in mice while leaving the animals’ other senses, such as touch and temperature, intact.

它們可以關閉老鼠的強烈慾望，但老鼠的其他感官，例如觸覺與體溫，仍可完好無損。

It is hoped that a deeper understanding of itching could eventually lead to therapies for patients with chronic itch.

學界希望，對癢更深層的了解，最終可促成慢性癢病患的療法。

The study was published in the journal Science.

這份研究刊登在「科學」期刊。

The team at the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the US National Institutes of Health, bred mice that were unable to produce a chemical called Nppb. It is a small signalling chemical that allows brain cells to communicate with each other.

隸屬美國國家衛生研究院的「國家牙齒與顱顏研究所」團隊，飼育不能製造一種名為「Nppb」化學物質的老鼠。這是一種可讓大腦細胞互相溝通的微小化學訊號物質。

Mice without the chemical looked and acted like other mice, except "when we exposed the mice to several itch-inducing substances, it was amazing to watch, nothing happened, the mice wouldn’t scratch".

沒有這種化學物質的老鼠，外觀與行動都像其他老鼠，但當「我們把這種老鼠暴露在多種致癢物質下時，很驚訝地發現，什麼事情都不會發生，這種老鼠不會抓（癢）」。

Injections of Nppb into a mouse’s spinal cord made them scratch.

將Nppb注射到老鼠的脊髓，即可讓牠們抓癢。

新聞辭典

itch：動詞，發癢。例句：I can’t wear wool - it makes me itch.（我沒辦法穿毛織品，我會發癢。）

scratch：動詞，抓、搔。例句：He was scratching （at） his mosquito bites.（他抓著被蚊子叮到的地方。）

urge：名詞，強烈的慾望，衝動。例句：The two of them seem unable to control their sexual urges.（他們之中的兩人似乎無法控制性的慾望。）

文章出處：<a href="http://iservice.libertytimes.com.tw/Service/english/">自由時報電子報中英對照新聞