How the Brain Can Rewire Itself After Half of It Is Removed
大脑被切除一半后如何自我重塑
--------From YLYK 每日外刊精读专辑
① Shortly after the birth of her first son, Monika Jones learned that he had a rare neurological condition that made one side of his brain abnormally large. He required several surgeries, starting when he was 3 1/2 months old, eventually leading to a complete anatomical hemispherectomy, or the removal of half of his brain, when he turned 3.
莫妮卡•琼斯在第一个儿子出生后不久便得知他患上了一种罕见的神经系统疾病，该疾病导致他的一侧大脑异常大。从三个半月开始，他不得不进行了几次手术，最终在他三岁时接受了彻底的全大脑半球切除术，也就是他的半个大脑被移除。
② The procedure was first developed in the 1920s to treat malignant brain tumors. But its success in children who have brain malformations, intractable seizures or diseases where damage is confined to half the brain, has astonished even seasoned scientists. After the procedure, many of the children are able to walk, talk, read and do everyday tasks.
这项手术最早在20世纪20年代被用于治疗恶性脑肿瘤。不过，它对患有大脑畸形、顽固性癫痫以及半脑损伤疾病的孩子同样成效显著，这一点甚至让经验丰富的科学家都十分吃惊。手术之后，许多孩子都能走路、说话、认字，以及完成日常工作。
③ Now, research published Tuesday suggests that some individuals recover so well from the surgery because of a reorganization in the remaining half of the brain. Scientists identified the variety of networks that pick up the slack for the removed tissue, with some of the brain’s specialists learning to operate like generalists.
而一项周二发表的研究表明，一些人之所以能在手术后恢复得如此之好，得益于大脑剩余半部分进行了自我重组。科学家发现了一系列神经网络，它们填补了被切除组织的空缺——原本负责专一功能的部位会学习像通才一样工作。
④ “The brain is remarkably plastic,” said Dorit Kliemann, the first author of the study. “It can compensate for dramatic loss of brain structure, and in some cases the remaining networks can support almost typical cognition.”
该研究的第一作者多丽特•克利曼说：“大脑具有极强的可塑性。它能为严重损失的大脑结构提供代偿；在某些情况下，剩余神经网络基本可以应对常见的认知功能。”
⑤ For now, Mrs. Jones is happy that her son can walk independently, communicate with an iPad and eat meals without a feeding tube.
现在，琼斯很欣慰儿子能够独立行走、操作使用iPad，并且吃饭时用不着喂食管了。
【拓展】
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生词好句
remove UK /rɪˈmuːv/ US /rɪˈmuːv/ vt. 去掉，移除
get sth. removed 切除某物
get the brain tumor removed 切除脑瘤
get the breast lump removed 切除乳腺肿块
get the tonsils removed 切除扁桃体
rewire UK /ˌriːˈwaɪə/ US /ˌriːˈwaɪr/ vt. 重新连接（reconnect）
前缀re- 又一次，再一次
wire vt. 连接（connect）
shortly after 在……之后不久
learn UK /lɜːn/ US /lɜ(r)ːn/ vt. 获悉，得知，了解
condition UK /kənˈdɪʃ(ə)n/ US /kənˈdɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 病，疾病（an illness, or a medical problem）；情况
He had a heart condition.
他心脏有病。
He had knee conditions.
他的膝关节有点儿问题。
abnormally UK /æbˈnɔːm(ə)li/ US /æbˈnɔːrm(ə)li/ adv. 异常地
abnormal adj. 异常的
前缀ab- 不，非
normal adj. 正常的
anatomical UK /ˌænəˈtɒmɪk(ə)l/ US /ˌænəˈtɑːmɪk(ə)l/ adj. 解剖的
anatomy n. 解剖学；解剖
hemispherectomy UK /ˌhemisfi'rektəmi/ US /ˌhemisfi'rektəmi/ n. 大脑半球切除术
hemisphere n. 半球
malignant brain tumor 恶性脑瘤
brain tumor 脑瘤
malignant adj. 恶性的
前缀mal- 坏的，不好的
malfunction n. 故障，失灵，不起作用
malpractice n. 玩忽职守
malnutrition n. 营养不良
benign tumor 良性肿瘤
astonish UK /əˈstɒnɪʃ/ US /əˈstɑːnɪʃ/ vt. 震惊（surprise）
The result will surprise you!
结果会令你惊讶！
The result will astonish you!
结果会令你十分惊讶！
seasoned UK /ˈsiːz(ə)nd/ US /ˈsiːz(ə)nd/ adj. 经验丰富的，老练的
a seasoned manager
一个饱经历练的经理人
a seasoned diplomat
一位极有经验的外交官
intractable seizure 顽固性癫痫
brain malformation 大脑畸形
malformation n. 畸形
formation n. 组成，成型
be confined to 限于
reorganization UK /riːˌɔːɡ(ə)naɪˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/ US /riːˌɔːrɡ(ə)nəˈzeɪʃ(ə)n/ n. 重组
a variety of sth. 各种各样的某物（all sorts/kinds of sth.）
a variety of challenges 各种各样的挑战
a variety of possibilities 各种可能性
pick up the slack 收拾烂摊子；替别人做他们应该做但没有做的事
I don’t want others to pick up the slack, so I have to finish the project before I quit.
我不想让别人来替我的收拾烂摊子，所以我必须在辞职前完成这个项目。
specialist UK /ˈspeʃ(ə)lɪst/ US /ˈspeʃ(ə)lɪst/ n. 专才
generalist UK /ˈdʒen(ə)r(ə)lɪst/ US /ˈdʒen(ə)r(ə)lɪst/ n. 通才
specialist clinic 专科门诊
general clinic 普通门诊
plastic UK /ˈplæstɪk/ US /ˈplæstɪk/ adj. 可塑的
compensate for sth. 提供补偿
Nothing can compensate for the loss of one’s health.
失去健康是无法补偿的。
How are you going to make up for me?
你打算怎么补偿我？
How are you going to compensate for my loss?
你打算怎样赔偿我的损失？