醫生首次打破人類血腦保護屏障，對腦癌施以藥物治療。其它大腦疾病，比如，老年癡呆癥也可以用同樣方法進行治療。以下是 BBC Michelle Roberts 發回的報道：
The blood-brain barrier does a good job of keeping toxins out. But this tightly-packed layer of cells which separates the brain from its blood vessels is a hindrance if you want to deliver drugs into the brain.
The patient – 56-year-old Bonny Hall from Canada – had a brain tumour that was growing in size despite conventional treatment and so she was given an intravenous infusion of chemotherapy along with a small dose of microbubbles. A focus beam of ultrasound was then applied to her skull to make the bubbles vibrate and punch holes in the blood-brain barrier.
Mrs Hall's neurosurgeon Dr Todd Mainprize says the procedure went well but more tests and safety checks are needed.
Another six to ten patients will take part in a safety trial to check for any side effects. If it goes well, the technique could eventually be used to treat other brain conditions, such as dementia, as well as cancer.
詞匯表
toxins 毒素
hindrance 障礙，阻礙物
conventional 傳統的
chemotherapy 化學療法
ultrasound 超聲波
procedure 手術，程序
eventually 最終，終將
測驗
請聽報道并回答下列問題。
1. What does the barrier between the blood vessels and the brain prevent?
2. What helps to open holes in the brain barrier?
3. True or false? Doctors are confident the technique is safe.
4. Which conditions might be treated by using this technique??
答案
1. What does the barrier between the blood vessels and the brain prevent?
It prevents toxins from going into the brain.
2. What helps to open holes in the brain barrier?
Small bubbles which are injected inside the blood vessels and then vibrate when a beam of ultrasound is used.
3. True or false? Doctors are confident the technique is safe.
False. Mrs Hall's neurosurgeon Dr Todd Mainprize says more tests are safety checks are needed.
4. Which conditions might be treated using this technique? ?
Cancer and dementia.
