Pain could be contagious¹, a groundbreaking new study claims.

近日，一项突破性的新研究声称，疼痛能够传染。

Lab mice were put through a series of tests which should not have been painful - ticklish² at the most. But the rodents³ reacted as if their feet were burning.

几只实验鼠经历了一系列本来没有疼痛感的试验--最多只是有些痒而已。但是事实上它们的反应却好像是双腿在被灼烧。

The experiments by researchers in Portland, Oregon, suggested the mice caught this heightened sensitivity from other mice who were primed to feel pain.

由俄勒冈州波特兰市的研究人员们进行的该实验表明，这些老鼠敏感性的增加源自于其它即将感受到疼痛的老鼠那里。

Both groups of mice were in the same room, in cages approximately 1.5 meters apart from each other - but they could not see each other.

这两组老鼠在同一个空间内，处于两个间隔约1.5米的笼子里--但是它们看不到对方。

The scientists believe they picked it up through smell.

科学家们相信，这些老鼠的疼痛感是通过气味传播的。

If true, this could explain some mysterious illnesses, including fibromyalgia - the feeling of pain without a logical medical reason for it.

如果这是真的，那么就可以解释一些奇怪的疾病，包括纤维肌痛--一种尚无合理医学解释的疼痛感。

'We've shown for the first time that you don't need an injury or inflammation to develop a pain state,' lead researcher Andrey Ryabinin, a neuroscientist at Oregon Health and Science University, said. 'Pain can develop simply because of social cues.'

俄勒冈卫生科学大学首席研究员安德烈·里亚比宁表示：“我们第一次证明了没有受伤或炎症也能产生疼痛感。社交暗示即可形成疼痛。