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Follow-up examinations of the mice in all these experiments looked at the strengths of connections between nerve cells within part of the brain called the ventral tegmental region.
在所有這些實驗中，老鼠的后續檢查是觀察中腦腹側被蓋區神經細胞之間的聯系。
This region regulates, among other things, motivation and reward-related social behaviour.
這塊區域控制著機動性和獎勵性社會行為。
Nerve signals are carried by the movement of ions (electrically charged atoms),
神經信號由離子（帶電的原子）運動運載，
so the team were able to measure connection-strength by monitoring the flow of ions at the junctions between nerve cells in this region.
因此團隊能夠通過監控這塊區域內神經細胞連接處的離子流來測量連接強度。
Strong connections, with lots of ion flow, indicated that social experiences were rewarding.
離子流多的強力連接表明社會經驗是有益的。
These were normal in the mice exposed to L. reuteri, which makes sense since animals treated with the bacterium sought out more social experiences.
這些在暴露于羅伊氏乳桿菌的老鼠身長很常見，這也說得通，因為受過細菌治療的動物會尋求更多的社會經歷。
Conversely, weak connections (those with little ion flow) indicated that social experiences were not triggering a reward.
相反，連接薄弱（離子流較少）表明社會經歷沒有觸發獎勵。
Such weak connections were found in animals that had not been exposed to the bacterium.
這種薄弱的連接存在于那些沒有暴露于細菌的動物體內。
The researchers suspected that such effects were controlled by signals from the gut that are being transmitted by the vagus nerve, which connects gut and brain.
研究人員懷疑這種效果是被腸道的信號所控制，由連接腸道和大腦的迷走神經所傳輸。
To test this idea they cut that nerve in selected animals. In these animals, subsequent treatment with L. reuteri failed to abolish their autistic symptoms.
為了測試這一想法，他們切除了選定動物的神經。在這些動物中，羅伊氏乳桿菌的后續治療沒能消除它們的孤獨癥癥狀。
The crucial aspect of this work is L. reuteri's wide availability—an availability approved by regulators such as America's Food and Drug Administration.
這項工作的關鍵部分在于羅伊氏乳桿菌的廣泛可用性—這種可用性得到了監管者，如美國食品和藥物管理局的批準。
This existing approval, which means L. reuteri poses no known health hazard, simplifies the process of organising clinical trials.
目前的批準意味著羅伊氏乳桿菌沒有已知的健康危害，簡化了組織臨床實驗的過程。
Clearly, autism in people is more complicated than a mere willingness to associate with others. And getting too excited about a mouse trial is usually a mistake.
明顯人類的孤獨癥比愿不愿意和他人相處更加復雜。對老鼠試驗過于興奮通常是錯誤的。
But in Dr Costa-Mattioli's view his results, which have been replicated in part by Evan Elliot's laboratory in Bar-Ilan University, Israel,
但是在Costa-Mattioli博士看來，他的結果（在某種程度上和以色列巴伊蘭大學Evan Elliot實驗室的結果部分重合）
would justify embarking on at least preliminary trials intended to determine whether L. reuteri has positive effects on people with autism, and might thus be worth pursuing.
將至少證明已經可以開始進行初步試驗旨在確定羅伊氏乳桿菌是否對孤獨癥患者有積極效果，并且或許值得繼續追尋下去。
Others agree. Sarkis Mazmanian of the California Institute of Technology works in the same area.
其他人同意。加州理工學院的Sarkis Mazmanian也專注于同一領域。
He says of these results: "I think the bar is now very low for getting this research moved on to human trials
他表示：“我認為對人類進行這項研究的門檻現在非常低
since most people already have these bacteria inside them and we know there are few, if any, safety or toxicity issues."
因為多數人的體內已經有了這些細菌，而且我們知道其中不存在什么安全或毒性問題。”
The general availability of L. reuteri does, however, bring with it another possibility—that people will conduct their own, "off label" trials,
但羅伊氏乳桿菌的一般可用性還帶來了其他的可能性—人們將自己進行“未經檢驗”的試驗，
either on themselves or on their children. Dr Mazmanian is cautious about that idea.
要么是對他們自己要么是給他們的孩子進行試驗。Mazmanian博士對這個想法持謹慎態度。
"I don't know if there is a barrier to people buying and using this stuff now.
“我不知道人們現在購買和使用東西是否有阻礙。
It may be strain-specific and the paper does not state which strain or strains were used," he says.
這種東西可能是毒株特異性的，論文中并沒有表明使用的是哪一種或哪幾種菌株，”他說。
At the moment, Dr Costa-Mattioli is unwilling to divulge that information. He is expecting to publish another paper soon, though, with more details.
此時，Costa-Mattioli博士不愿透露該信息。他期待能夠很快發表另一篇論文，披露更多細節。
In practice, it may be hard to discourage people from testing L. reuteri's effects themselves. All the more reason to do properly conducted trials quickly.
實際上，或許很難阻止人們不去自行測試羅伊氏乳桿菌的效果。因此更加有理由迅速進行恰當的向導性試驗。
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