Crossing arms can reduce pain

     BEIJING, May 23 (Xinhuanet) -- A new study suggests that crossing your arms could reduce the intensity¹ of pain, according to media reports.

    The study was conducted by researchers from University College London (UCL), who reported their finding in the journel Pain.

    They said that crossing the arms could confuse the brain and conflicting(矛盾的) information between the brain's two maps - one for the person's body and the other for external space - leading to a lower sensation of pain.

    A laser was used to generate a four millisecond pin prick² on the hands of eight volunteers, who experienced this twice with their arms at their sides and arms crossed.

    Then the participants were asked to rate the intensity of pain in two situations and an EEG (electroencephalography) was used to measure their electrical brain responses.

    The results showed that both the perception of pain and EEG activity was reduced when the arms were crossed.

    "Perhaps when we get hurt, we should not only 'rub it better' but also cross our arms," said Giandomenico Iannetti of UCL's department of physiology³, pharmacology and neuroscience.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)

1 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

2 prick   

v.刺伤，刺痛，刺孔；n.刺伤，刺痛

参考例句：

• He felt a sharp prick when he stepped on an upturned nail.当他踩在一个尖朝上的钉子上时，他感到剧烈的疼痛。
• He burst the balloon with a prick of the pin.他用针一戳，气球就爆了。

3 physiology   

n.生理学，生理机能

参考例句：

• He bought a book about physiology.他买了一本生理学方面的书。
• He was awarded the Nobel Prize for achievements in physiology.他因生理学方面的建树而被授予诺贝尔奖。