The Dream Pill
As society continues to evolve, scientists are hard at work on medications to solve our modern woes. One area that shows great promise is the so-called "Dream Pill," a magic pill that will help prevent insomnia and also will offer relief to those who suffer from a sleep disorder called narcolepsy.
Insomnia is a common problem for around 20-30% of the U.S. adult population. There are many kinds of insomnia and many causes for it: stress, poor diet, irregular
sleeping habits. As anyone who has not had a full night's sleep can attest to, not getting enough sleep has many negative side effects. Yet the current medication taken for insomnia can cause dependence, even addiction. More than this, most people on insomnia medication report drowsiness, problems with alertness, and poor memory retention, even a full day after taking the medication.
Narcolepsy is a severe disorder that affects the brain's ability to remain awake and alert. Those who suffer from this condition can fall asleep at any moment of the day, often with embarrassing and tragic effects. For example, some people with narcolepsy may fall asleep in the middle of a conversation, even when they are the ones talking! Scientists who study this disorder believe that there is something in the way that the brain processes sleep at night that causes the narcoleptic effects during the day.
Scientists studying these disorders think that they may have found the answer in one tiny pill nicknamed the "Dream Pill." What the pill allows is a quick shift in the sleeping brain into REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, a state of deep sleep where dreaming occurs. Early trials suggest that the ability to fall into REM sleep quickly allows sufferers of several sleep-related disorders to awaken refreshed. The pill also reduces the negative effects of insomnia and narcolepsy. More than this, the pill shows low levels of dependence in research subjects, an important consideration when testing any medicine. An added bonus to the pill is that its subjects report increased memory capacity when awake. Scientists are excited about the future of this medicine. The new generation of sleeping pills may involve more dreaming than sleeping! 【題組】27. The main idea of the passage is to _____.
(A) detail how the Dream Pill works on a chemical level in the brain.
(B) explain some sleep disorders and how the Dream Pill might offer some relief.
(C) discuss the background of certain scientists as they research on sleep
disorders.
(D) communicate how important it is to get a good night's sleep when working.
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