2022年|總第26期 Publisher: University of Macau Chief Editor: Katrina Cheong Deputy Chief Editor: Ella Cheong Editors: Davis Ip, Debby Seng Translator: Anthony Sou Advisors: Li Defeng, Professor and Director, Centre for Studies of Translation, Interpreting and Cognition / Associate Dean, Faculty of Arts and Humanities Lampo Leong, Distinguished Professor and Director, Centre for Arts and Design, Faculty of Social Sciences Timothy Simpson, Associate Professor, Department of Communication, Faculty of Social Sciences Tang Keng Pan, Professor Emeritus, Department of Chinese Language and Literature, Faculty of Arts and Humanities Design: Jack Ho Address: Room G012, Administration Building, University of Macau, N6, Avenida da Universidade, Taipa, Macau, China Contact: Tel: (853) 8822 8833 Fax: (853) 8822 8822 Email: prs.publication@um.edu.mo Printing: Hamah (Macau), Limitada ISSN: 2077-2491 Published biannually since 2009, UMagazine is one of the University of Macau’s official publications and aims to report innovative ideas and research breakthroughs of the University of Macau. It also showcases the latest developments and achievements of the university in teaching, research, and service. 出版: 澳門大學 總編輯: 張惠琴 副總編輯: 張愛華 編輯: 葉浩男、盛惠怡 翻譯: 蘇恩霆 顧問: 人文學院副院長、翻譯傳譯認知研究中心主任李德鳳教授 社會科學學院藝術設計中心主任梁藍波特聘教授 社會科學學院傳播系副教授Timothy Simpson 人文學院中國語言文學系榮休教授鄧景濱 排版: 何杰平 地址: 中國澳門氹仔大學大馬路澳門大學N6行政樓G012 室 聯絡: 電話: (853) 8822 8833 傳真: (853) 8822 8822 電郵: prs.publication@um.edu.mo 製版印刷: 澳門豪邁實業有限公司 國際刊號: 2077‑2491 《澳大新語》創於2009年，為澳門大學官方刊物之一， 每年出版兩期，旨在展示澳門大學的創見和突破、 報導教研和社會服務的最新發展和成果。
人們的一言一行、所思所憶均來自大 腦。因此，「我們是誰？」不單是哲 學問題，也是無數科學家深耕的研究領 域。在澳門大學，不同學科的專家近年 加強合作，為解開腦部的奧秘探尋更多 線索，致力以研究成果解答實際的醫療 和社會問題。 今期的封面專題探討澳大認知與腦科學 研究的成果，涉及成癮、語言、腦圖 譜、腦機接口、腦與腸道的關係、兒童 腦發展等課題，並且介紹相關的研究資 源和學位課程，全面呈現這些研究的重 要意義。 我們也介紹大學在推動澳門智慧旅遊發 展方面的研究，以及為支持本地大健康 產業而開辦的新課程。與此同時，歷 史系主任楊斌教授帶領我們從小小的海 貝一窺橫跨各大洲、延綿數千載的全球 史。環球法律學系主任Rostam J. Neuwirth 教授則剖釋了人工智能技術帶來的種種 法律挑戰，進而探討人工智能時代所需 的法律框架。 此外，「學術研究」介紹了一種由澳大研 究人員開發、有望改進癌症治療和醫學成 像的新型近紅外有機納米海綿，並且細探 新型冠狀病毒疫情下內地有關線上教育的 輿論。「書院發展」則帶領讀者了解蔡繼 有書院的全人教育理念，以及體育活動在 呂志和書院的重要教育功能。 Our brains control all our thoughts and actions. The question ‘Who are we?’ is therefore not only a philosophical challenge, but also a scientific question that many researchers attempt to answer. In recent years, faculty members from different disciplines at the University of Macau (UM) have strengthened collaboration in this regard. They strive to unravel the mystery of the brain and translate their research results into solutions to medical and social problems. The cover story of this issue’s UMagazine features research results in cognitive and brain sciences at UM, with a highlight on projects on addiction, language, brain mapping, brain-computer interfaces, connections between the brain and the gut, and early brain development. It also showcases the university’s extensive research resources and degree programmes in this field. We also look at UM’s efforts to promote smart tourism in Macao and the new degree programmes offered by the university to meet the needs of the local health industry. In addition, Prof Yang Bin, head of the Department of History, takes us on a cowrie shell journey through global history that spans different continents and several millennia, while Prof Rostam J. Neuwirth, head of the Department of Global Legal Studies, discusses the contemporary proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and the need for a legal framework to address them. The Academic Research column explores two UM research topics, namely a near-infrared nanosponge developed by UM scientists that promises to improve cancer therapy and medical imaging, as well as public opinion about online education in mainland China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, the RC Development column provides an overview of whole-person education in Choi Kai Yau College and the importance of sports in education in Lui Che Woo College. 編者的話 張惠琴 Katrina Cheong EDITOR’S WORDS
CONTENTS 目錄 2022年|總第26期 Autumn/Winter 2022 | Issue 26 封面專題 COVER STORY Brain Sciences + 腦科學 + 跨學科研究探尋腦部奧秘 Multidisciplinary Efforts to Unlock the Brain’s Secrets 05 行為成癮對腦部的影響 The Impact of Behavioural Addiction on the Brain 11 多語言使用與大腦的執行功能 Multilingualism and the Brain’s Executive Functions 15 繪製跨腦網絡圖譜 探索高級認知能力 Mapping the Brain Network to Explore Higher-level Cognitive Functions 19 人腦連接電腦 意念化為行動 Turning Thoughts into Actions with Brain-Computer Interfaces 23 探索兒童認知行為的大腦神經機制 Neural Mechanisms of Early Brain Development 31 腸道如何影響神經認知障礙 The Links between Gut and Neurocognitive Disorders 27
生活即學習，學習即生活：探究澳門大學的住宿式書院教育 近紅外納米海綿載藥助腫瘤治療 Near-infrared Nanosponge for Tumour Drug Delivery and Treatment 疫情下內地有關線上教育的輿論 Public Opinion on Online Education in Mainland China during the Pandemic 楊斌：從海貝探究鮮為人知的全球史 Yang Bin: Exploring Little-Known Global History through Cowrie Shells Living is Learning, Learning is Living: Exploring Residential College Life at the University of Macau 學術研究 ACADEMIC RESEARCH 書院發展 RC DEVELOPMENT 人物專訪 EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 專題探討 TOPIC INSIGHT Smart Tourism: An Interdisciplinary Exploration 跨學科研究智慧旅遊 35 47 Rostam J. Neuwirth：AI時代的法律挑戰 Rostam J. Neuwirth: Legal Challenges in the Era of Artificial Intelligence 53 59 63 67 71 Lui Che Woo College: The Role of Sports in Residential College Education 呂志和書院的實踐：體育在教育中發揮的角色 New Programmes Nurture Health Industry Professionals 新課程培養大健康產業人才 41
COVER STORY • 封面專題 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 • 澳大新語 5 跨學科研究探尋腦部奧秘 Multidisciplinary Efforts to Unlock the Brain’s Secrets 文 / 葉浩男‧圖 / 何杰平、編輯部 Chinese & English / Davis Ip ‧ Photo / Jack Ho, Editorial Board 認知與腦科學研究中心內的3T功能磁共振成像系統 A 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging system in the Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences 腦部決定了我們是誰，控制著我們所有的思 想、情感和行為。為了揭露腦部的奧秘，澳門 大學協同創新研究院認知與腦科學研究中心開 展了一些極具跨學科特質的項目。探索認知與 腦科學雖然挑戰極大，但這也成為研究人員投 身其中的原因。 全球關注腦科學研究 腦部是人體最複雜的器官。成人腦部平均只有1.5 公斤，約佔全身重量2%，跟一個保齡球的重量相 若，卻使用身體約20%的能量。讀到這句話時， 你的腦部數以千億計的神經細胞已被激活，互相傳 遞生物電和化學訊號。這些複雜的訊號傳遞使我們
澳大新語 • 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 6 封面專題 • COVER STORY 得以接收和解讀眼球傳來的視覺訊息、從中識別詞 語、將詞語組合成句、理解並形成記憶。人類對腦 部的認識啟發了不少檢測及治療腦疾病的技術，以 及人工神經網絡等電腦計算方法。 雖然人類對腦部的探索已有不少進展，但對於高等 認知功能、記憶和自我意識如何產生等重大問題還 是幾乎一無所知。根據世界衛生大會在2020年通過 的一項決議，癲癇和其它神經系統疾病是導致「殘 疾調整生命年」（即因過早死亡而損失的壽命加上 因生活在不完全健康的狀態下而損失的生命年數） 的主因，也是全球第二大死亡原因。然而，很多跟 神經系統有關的疾病的發病機制仍是未解之謎，導 致相關藥物的開發往往以失敗告終。 為了在認知機制、腦疾病和類腦人工智能等方面 尋求根本性的科研突破，美國、歐盟、日本和其 它國家多年前已開展長期的大型研究計劃。中國也 在2021年啟動「科技創新2030—腦科學與類腦研 究」重大項目，支持全國各地開展先進研究。 匯聚不同領域專家 澳大在2017年成立協同創新研究院（以下簡稱研究 院），致力促進澳門、粵港澳大灣區及海內外高校 的跨學科研究，培養創新型人才。其下設的認知與 腦科學研究中心（以下簡稱研究中心）匯聚校內不 同學院和研究院的專家，開展極具跨學科特質的項 目。研究中心主任、健康科學學院教授袁振說： 「我們每個思想和行為都來自腦部，因此我們研 究中心的項目除了直接與自然科學相關，還涉及人 文、社會科學、法律、教育和工商管理等領域。」 作為澳門領先的腦科學研究機構，研究中心重點開 展成癮與決策、腦與語言認知、兒童發展、認知 老化和腦疾病、腦影像與腦網絡圖譜方面的研究。 該中心設有四個實驗平台，提供各類先進儀器。其 中，神經影像實驗室備有一台研究專用的3T功能磁 共振成像系統，以及一系列近紅外光譜腦成像系統 和腦電檢測設備；腦干預實驗室有經顱電、磁刺激 等多種腦刺激系統；認知與行為抽查實驗室則有一 系列眼動追蹤儀和無線生理訊號記錄儀；高性能計 算平台提供GPU平台，可用於深度學習任務或作為 虛擬數據中心。 袁教授說，藉著這些先進設備和廣泛的跨學科合 作，研究中心成員過去兩年發表了超過200篇學術 期刊文章，近期多份知名期刊，包括《大腦皮層》 《神經成像》《皮層》《認知神經動力學》《今日 材料生物》和《臨床及轉化醫學》均刊登他們的研 究成果。 研究切合澳門所需 研究中心不少項目均與澳門社會息息相關。其中， 一些研究人員近兩年分析了不少成癮人士的腦部掃 描，為預防和干預行為成癮提供新線索。「遊戲和 賭博成癮的神經認知機制」項目負責人是社會科學 學院副院長（研究）、心理學系教授胡文詩。胡教 授說，在長達兩年的數據收集期中，參加者要接受 多次掃描和提供資料，使研究人員得以了解遊戲和 賭博成癮如何演變，從而找出可用於治療或判斷成 癮程度的生物標記。 澳大研究人員也借助澳門作為一個多語言社會的特 質，在另一個重點項目中招募一些居民以中文（廣 東話和普通話）、英文和葡文作聽說讀寫和執行同 步傳譯等跨語言任務，期間記錄他們的腦神經網絡 活動。該項目負責人、人文學院副院長、翻譯傳譯 認知研究中心主任李德鳳教授表示，他們的目標是 分析不同語言的使用如何影響大腦的執行功能，並 且為構建一個皮質表層大腦圖譜資料庫打下基礎， 該資料庫將會向全球科學家開放。 語言與腦部的關係也是重要的研究領域。袁教授的 團隊對比了人類與獼猴腦部中跟語言生成息息相關 的布羅卡區，其後在立體像素層面找到20多個相信 是演化自同一個結構的位置，有助日後構建跨物種 的腦網絡圖譜。 一些研究項目則涉及神經認知障礙疾病。澳門轉化 醫學創新研究院代副院長、中華醫藥研究院助理教 授趙永華與袁教授合作，分析長者腸菌樣本中瘤胃 球菌、毛螺菌、脫硫弧菌和大腸桿菌的增幅跟認知 功能之間的負面關係。趙教授說，研究結果顯示， 分析腸道中某些微生物的增減，可能有助於評估長 者患上阿茲海默症等認知障礙疾病的風險。 另一方面，研究中心的一個團隊開發了多種腦機接 口，並在國際和全國性的腦控打字比賽奪冠，更創
COVER STORY • 封面專題 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 • 澳大新語 7 下世界紀錄。電機及電腦工程系副教授萬峰研究 基於不同類型的「視覺誘發電位」的腦機接口超 過10年，不斷提出新的算法，促進人與電腦的連 接。他的團隊正在加緊開發更高效、能「即戴即 用」的腦機接口。 教育學院幼兒教育及兒童發展中心代主任、副教授 張娟的團隊則主要研究兒童發展、腦與語言認知， 包括閱讀障礙和自閉症兒童的腦部。他們曾利用基 於「事件相關電位」的技術開展一項研究，發現華 人自閉症兒童對英文重音的知覺敏感度低於健康兒 童。他們也發現，自閉症兒童的右腦比左腦更活 躍。張教授說，這些研究成果可以為干預兒童的行 為問題提供理論參考和實踐方向。 研究中心成員也在探討許多其它課題，包括催產 素這種荷爾蒙如何影響腦部區分自我與他人、開 發用於裝載藥物穿越腦血管屏障到達神經膠質瘤 的納米粒子、中文母語者在理解真確和虛構的中 文組合詞時不同腦區域的活動，以及人們執行各 類遞移推理任務時和有不誠實表現時的腦區功能 性連接。 培養下一代認知神經科學家 澳大除了推動校內學者開展跨學科研究，還與不同 機構緊密合作，包括於2019年與中國科學院生物 物理研究所設立認知與腦科學聯合實驗室，促進 粵港澳大灣區認知神經科學的研究合作。通過這 些跨機構協作，研究中心正在培養新一代的認知 神經科學家和專業人士，為學生提供研究資源和 跨學科指導，包括由中心教學人員招收並指導博 士生。另一方面，澳大與中國科學院生物物理研 究所聯合開辦博士課程，學生在兩所機構的專家 共同指導下開展研究。 研究中心也於2022/2023學年開辦理學碩士學位 （認知神經科學）課程，指導學生學習在神經語 言學、神經教育學、神經經濟學、神經影像學、 類腦智能等方面用於探究大腦功能的知識與創新 研究方法。該課程還致力培養學生深入理解和整 合跨學科研究成果、觀點和研究方法，以探究心 智、大腦和行為。 袁教授相信，澳大認知與腦科學研究的成果對澳門 社會的貢獻和國際學術影響力將會與日俱增。「我 們希望研究中心每項研究都能為破解大腦的奧秘提 供線索。『我們是誰？』不僅是哲學問題，也是與 所有人密切相關的科學問題，值得我們鍥而不捨地 追尋答案。」 The brain defines who we are, controlling all our feelings, thoughts, and behaviours. To unlock its secrets, members of the Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences (CCBS) under the Institute of Collaborative Innovation (ICI) at the University of Macau (UM) are advancing some multidisciplinary research projects. While the tasks may seem daunting, the researchers are motivated to expand existing knowledge of cognition and the brain. Brain Research: A Global Priority The brain is our most complex organ. The average adult brain weighs only 1.5 kg, about 2 per cent of our total weight and as heavy as a bowling ball, but it expends about 20 per cent of our body’s energy. As you read this sentence, hundreds of billions of neurons in your brain are being activated to send bioelectrical and chemical signals to each other. These complicated signal transmissions allow us to receive and interpret visual information from our eyes, recognise words, put them together into a sentence, understand it, and form memories of it. Knowledge of the brain has given rise to many technologies for detecting and treating brain diseases and has inspired computational methods such as artificial neural networks. Despite much progress, deeper questions, such as the origins of high-level cognitive functions, memory, and self-consciousness, remain a mystery. In 2020, the World Health Assembly recognised that epilepsy and other neurological disorders are the leading cause of disability-adjusted life years (which combines years of life lost due to premature mortality and years of life lost due to time lived in states of less than full health) and the second leading cause of death worldwide. However, the pathogenesis of many of these disorders is still unknown, leading to failure after failure in drug development.
澳大新語 • 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 8 封面專題 • COVER STORY As a leading brain research institution in Macao, CCBS focuses on behavioural addiction and decision-making, brain and language cognition, child development, cognitive ageing, and brain disorders, as well as neuroimaging and brain connectome. The centre has four core laboratories with state-of-the-art equipment. The Neuroimaging Core Laboratory has a 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging system, a series of functional near-infrared spectroscopy systems, and electroencephalography devices. The Brain Intervention Core Laboratory is equipped with brain stimulation systems for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). The Behavioural Data Acquisition Core Laboratory is equipped with eye trackers and wireless physiological recording systems. The High-Performance Computing Core Laboratory has GPU computing platforms to carry out deep-learning tasks and perform as virtual data centres. According to Prof Yuan, the advanced facilities and extensive multidisciplinary collaboration enabled In search of breakthroughs in cognitive mechanisms, brain diseases, brain-inspired artificial intelligence, and other fields, the United States, the European Union, Japan, and other countries and regions have launched long-term and large-scale programmes. In 2021, China put forward the Science and Technology Innovation 2030 - ‘Brain Science and Brain-Like Research’ Key Programme to support cutting-edge studies across the country. Bringing Together Experts in Different Fields Founded in 2017, the ICI supports multidisciplinary research and the training of innovative professionals in collaboration with institutions in Macao, in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), as well as across China and overseas. As part of the ICI, CCBS is dedicated to multidisciplinary projects that bring together expertise from all UM faculties and institutes. ‘Every thought and action originate in the brain, so CCBS projects go beyond natural sciences to include arts, humanities, social sciences, law, education, business administration, and other fields,’ says Yuan Zhen, head of CCBS and professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences. 袁振教授 Prof Yuan Zhen
COVER STORY • 封面專題 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 • 澳大新語 9 CCBS members to publish more than 250 articles in academic journals over the past two years, including leading titles such as Cerebral Cortex, Neuroimage, Cortex, Cognitive Neurodynamics, Materials Today Bio, and Clinical and Translational Medicine. Research Aligned with Macao’s Priorities Many CCBS projects are closely aligned with Macao’s priorities. For example, to study how gaming and gambling alter brain structures and functions, CCBS members have produced numerous brain scans of addicts to inspire new approaches for the prevention and treatment of behavioural addiction. The research project titled ‘The Neurocognitive Mechanisms of Gaming and Gambling Addiction’ is led by Anise Wu, associate dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and professor in the Department of Psychology. All project participants have their brains scanned multiple times over a period of two years for data collection, so that researchers can understand how gaming and gambling addiction evolve over time and identify biomarkers that can be used to treat or determine the level of addiction. In another key project, researchers are analysing multilingualism in Macao to reveal brain network activity associated with language use. They have recruited residents to speak, read, listen, and write in Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), English and Portuguese, as well as to perform cross-linguistic tasks such as interpreting. The project’s principal investigator is Prof Li Defeng, associate dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities and director of the Centre for Translation, Interpretation and Cognition. According to Prof Li, the project aims to discover how the use of different languages affects executive functions and to build a surface-based brain atlas database that will be open to researchers around the world. The relationship between language and the brain is another key area of research. By comparing the brains of humans and macaques, Prof Yuan’s team discovered over 20 sites at the voxel level that are likely to have a common evolutionary origin in Broca’s area, which plays an essential role in human language production. ‘This discovery is an important step towards creating a cross-species map of brain networks,’ says Prof Yuan. Many CCBS projects focus on neurocognitive disorders. For instance, Zhao Yonghua, interim associate head of the Macau Institute for Translational Medicine and Innovation and assistant professor in the Institute of Chinese Medical Sciences, together with Prof Yuan, analysed the negative impact of the increase in Ruminococcus gnavus, Lachnospira eligens, Escherichia coli, and Desulfovibrio piger in the gut microbiota on cognitive functions of the elderly. ‘This can help us evaluate the risk of neurocognitive disorders, such as Alzheimer’s disease, in the elderly,’ says Prof Zhao. Meanwhile, a CCBS research team has developed various brain-computer interfaces. Members of the team have won championships in international and national brain-controlled typing competitions and have even set a world record. The team is led by Wan Feng, associate professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. For more than a decade, Prof Wan has developed BCIs based on different types of visually evoked potential (VEPs) and designed new algorithms to accelerate the connection between humans and computers. For instance, his team is currently developing more efficient ‘plug-and-play’ BCIs. On the other hand, Zhang Juan, interim director 一名研究參加者在澳大接受腦部掃描 The brain of a research participant is being scanned at UM
澳大新語 • 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 10 封面專題 • COVER STORY of the Centre for Early Childhood Education and Child Development and associate professor in the Faculty of Education, is leading her team to study child development, brain, and language cognition, including the brain of children with dyslexia and autism. One of their studies using ERP technology shows that Chinese children with autism were less sensitive than normal children to changes in the stress of English words. In addition, the brain’s right hemisphere is found to be more activated in children with autism than the left hemisphere. ‘These findings can provide theoretical references and directions for interventions for children’s behavioural problems,’ says Prof Zhang. CCBS members also explore topics such as the role of the hormone oxytocin in our ‘self-other distinction’, the development of a nanoparticle that helps detect gliomas by carrying drugs through the blood-brain barrier to tumours, the activity of brain regions of native Chinese speakers when they try to interpret valid and invalid Chinese compound words, as well as the functional connectivity between brain regions when people perform different transitive inference tasks or act dishonestly. Training the Next Generation of Neuroscientists UM not only promotes multidisciplinary research among faculty members, but also maintains strong partnerships with many institutions. For example, UM and the Institute of Biophysics (IBP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences established a joint laboratory for cognition and brain sciences in 2019 to promote research and training across the GBA. Through collaborating with other institutions, CCBS nurtures the next generation of cognitive neuroscientists and professionals by providing students with multidisciplinary training and access to research facilities. Many PhD students conduct research under the supervision of CCBS members, while those enrolled in the joint PhD programme of UM and IBP are trained by faculty members from both institutions. In the 2022/2023 academic year, CCBS launched the Master of Science in Cognitive Neuroscience programme, to train students with innovative approaches for exploring brain functions in terms of neurolinguistics, neuroeducation, neuroeconomics, neuroimaging, and brain-inspired intelligence. The programme also aims to help students understand and integrate interdisciplinary research findings and tools for the study of mind, brain, and behaviour. Prof Yuan is confident that UM’s portfolio in cognitive and brain research will benefit the Macao community in the long run and will gain further recognition in international academic circles. ‘Each of CCBS’s research projects will hopefully shed some light on the brain’s mystery. The question “Who are we?” is not only a philosophical question, but also very much a scientific one. It matters to everyone and deserves our relentless search for answers,’ says Prof Yuan. 高性能計算平台 A high-performance computing platform
COVER STORY • 封面專題 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 • 澳大新語 11 文 / 葉浩男‧圖 / 何杰平，部分由受訪者提供 Chinese & English / Davis Ip ‧ Photo / Jack Ho, with some provided by the interviewee The Impact of Behavioural Addiction on the Brain 行為成癮對腦部的影響 行為或物質成癮不代表性格缺陷，而是腦部出了問 題。為了研究遊戲和賭博行為如何影響腦部，澳門大 學認知與腦科學研究中心的成員近兩年間分析了不少 成癮人士的腦部掃描，為改進預防和干擾行為成癮的 方法提供新線索。 遊戲和賭博成癮 「遊戲和賭博成癮的神經認知機制」項目的負責人為 社會科學學院副院長（研究）、認知與腦科學研究中 心成員、心理學系教授胡文詩。她說：「成癮是指人 無法控制自己，無法停止做一件可能會傷害自己的事 情。一旦成癮，即使努力停止有關行為也很容易故態 復萌，因為他們的腦部已經改變，受制於作出成癮行 為的慾望。」 胡教授說，目前已有大量關於毒品和酒精等物質的成癮 研究，近年也有越來越多專家關注行為成癮。賭博成癮 （又稱「賭博失調」或「強迫性賭博」）早已列入正式 的疾病分類系統，而遊戲障礙（又稱「遊戲成癮」）則 在2019年第72屆世界衛生大會上才列入《國際疾病分 類》。不少研究表明遊戲成癮和賭博成癮密切相關。 胡教授指出，澳門博彩業和娛樂行業歷史悠久，適合 開展關於遊戲和賭博成癮的研究。「我們的研究項目 研究人員檢視過往賭局結果等視覺訊息會否導致認知偏差 The researchers would examine whether people develop cognitive biases due to visual information such as the outcome of previous bets
澳大新語 • 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 12 封面專題 • COVER STORY 自我抑制控制等認知功能上的差異。 胡教授說，數據收集過程長達兩年，期間參加者要 接受多次掃描和提供資料，使研究人員得以了解遊 戲和賭博成癮如何隨時間推移而演變，從而找出有 機會用於判斷成癮程度的生物標記。研究人員也會 用眼動追蹤儀等儀器，了解人們參與網絡遊戲或博 彩活動時，周邊的視覺刺激（例如光暗、過往賭局 結果的不同呈現方式）、聲音和氣味是否會對行為 成癮造成不同影響。 亞太地區多地近年積極發展博彩業，網絡遊戲和網 絡博彩也在全球大行其道。因此，胡教授相信研究 項目的成果不但能惠及澳門社會，還能為全球各地 的專家和機構提供研究數據。通過這個項目，研究 團隊也與聖公會澳門社會服務處建立了長期的合作 關係。雙方除了招募市民參加研究，也會加強知識 交流和合作，進一步推動社區教育和干預服務。 通過深入了解和呈現大腦與行為成癮的關係，研究 團隊也期望鼓勵有行為成癮的人士了解到成癮是源 於多種複雜因素，不代表他們有壞的本質。「行為 成癮是一種牽涉腦部的慢性病。就像有其它身體狀 況的人一樣，行為成癮者應該尋求專業治療，努力 改善生活。」 有兩大目的，分別是研究成癮機制下的神經可塑性 機理，以及探究多種感官類環境因素線索對於成癮 行為的交互作用。」 腦部激勵機制失調 研究行為成癮，為何要掃描腦部？胡教授表示，物 質成癮和行為成癮均與大腦的「激勵機制」（又稱 「獎勵機制」）息息相關，多巴胺這種神經傳導物 質在其中扮演重要角色。「我們接收一些刺激，例 如吃了一件甜品或贏了一場遊戲時，一個位於中腦 的區域會產生多巴胺。多巴胺經神經傳導路徑到達 腦部不同區域，使我們產生一種滿足感，並對這種 感覺形成記憶。」激勵機制讓我們有動力進食、繁 殖和執行其它重要任務。當多巴胺不足時，我們會 感到沒有動力、難以集中。 不過，如果攝取一些物質或做一些行為導致短時間內 產生過量多巴胺，我們起初會感到很滿足，後來卻會 使腦部習慣了這些行為和物質帶來的刺激，改變不同 腦區域的神經細胞之間的連接，最終我們要尋求越來 越多同類的刺激，才能保持程度相若的滿足感。「一 旦缺乏成癮物質或行為帶來的刺激，成癮者就會變得 非常低落，身體也會出現很多其它問題。」 2020年，胡教授的團隊開展了研究項目的先導計劃。 在一項關於撲克牌遊戲的前期研究中，他們發現，在 作出有風險的賭注並勝出時，大腦的激勵機制會被激 活。期間，與一般人士相比，賭博成癮人士的大腦獎 勵機制激活程度較低。這或許解釋了為何成癮人士會 傾向比其他人尋求更多、更大的刺激。 研究人員還發現，賭博成癮者等待賭局結果時，他 們腦部內與獎勵機制相關的區域受到不少刺激，在 其他人士的腦部卻觀察不到這種反應。胡教授說： 「這點很可能反映成癮者所沉迷的不單是博彩的獎 賞，還有下注和等待結果的過程。」 尋找預防和治療成癮新方法 2021年初，胡教授的團隊與聖公會澳門社會服務處 正式合作收集數據，招募有網絡遊戲或博彩習慣的 人士和其他人士執行一系列決策性任務，期間以功 能磁共振成像（一種通過檢測血液流動來測量腦活 動的技術）系統掃描他們的腦部，並且開展訪談和 問卷調查，藉此了解不同程度成癮的人士在決策和 胡文詩教授 Prof Anise Wu
COVER STORY • 封面專題 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 • 澳大新語 13 Substance or behavioural addiction is not a personality flaw, but a brain problem. To study how gaming and gambling change the brain, members of the Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences (CCBS) at the University of Macau (UM) have analysed numerous brain scans of addicts over the past two years to inspire new approaches for the prevention and treatment of behavioural addiction. Gaming and Gambling Addiction At UM, Anise Wu, associate dean (research) of the Faculty of Social Sciences and professor in the Department of Psychology, is leading a research project titled ‘The Neurocognitive Mechanisms of Gaming and Gambling Addictions’. ‘Addiction is our inability to stop doing something that can harm us,’ says Prof Wu, a member of CCBS. ‘When people try to stop their addictive behaviours, they may easily relapse because their brains have adapted to craving such behaviours.’ Prof Wu says there is a large body of research on addiction to substances such as drugs and alcohol, and in recent years there has also been a growing interest in behavioural addiction. Gambling addiction, also called gambling disorder or compulsive gambling, has long been included in formal disease classification systems, while gaming disorder, also known as gaming addiction, was not included in the International Classification of Diseases until the 72nd World Health Assembly in 2019. Many studies suggest that these two types of addiction are closely linked. Prof Wu adds that Macao is an ideal place to study gaming and gambling addiction given the city’s long-standing casino and entertainment industries. ‘Our research project has two major goals: to study the neuroplasticity mechanisms underlying addiction, and to investigate the interplay of various environmental sensory influences on addictive behaviour,’ she explains. A Hijacked Reward System in the Brain What can brain scans tell us about addiction? According to Prof Wu, the brain’s reward system is involved in both substance and behavioural addiction, and the neurotransmitter dopamine plays an important role in this system. ‘When you receive a stimulus, such as eating a dessert or winning a 這些功能性磁共振成像掃描顯示研究參加者執行不同風 險的決策任務時的腦部活動的差異 The fMRI scans show differences in brain activity of research participants when they perform different risky decision-making tasks 胡文詩教授（左）和研究助理李雯慧 Prof Anise Wu (left) and research assistant Caren Lei
澳大新語 • 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 14 封面專題 • COVER STORY game, an area in the midbrain produces dopamine. Dopamine goes through neural signalling pathways to different areas of the brain to give us a feeling of satisfaction and create memory of that feeling,’ she says. The reward system motivates us to eat, reproduce, and perform other vital tasks. ‘Having lower levels of dopamine makes us lose motivation and concentration,’ she adds. The problems come when we consume substances or engage in activities that cause a rapid and excessive production of dopamine. In the beginning, we may feel satisfied, but then connections between the neurons among our brain areas will be altered to make us accustomed to the stimulus from these substances and activities. The result is that we will crave more and more of the same stimulus just to keep the same level of satisfaction. ‘Once the stimulus from the addictive substance or behaviour stops, the addicts become depressed and would have many other health problems,’ she says. In 2020, Prof Wu’s team launched a pilot project. In a preliminary study on poker games, the team found that the brain’s reward system was activated when risky decisions were made and won. Compared to healthy individuals, people with repetitive gambling behaviours showed a lower activation level in the reward system. This could explain why people with addictions seek more and stronger stimuli than others. The researchers also found that certain brain areas associated with the reward system were activated in addicted gamblers when they were waiting for the outcome of a bet, a response not observed in other people’s brains. ‘This may mean that addicts crave not only for the rewards of a bet, but also the process of betting and waiting for a potentially rewarding outcome,’ says Prof Wu. Exploring New Ways to Prevent and Treat Addiction In early 2021, Prof Wu’s team, in collaboration with the S.K.H. Macau Social Services Coordination Office, began to collect data and recruit people with online gaming or gambling habits and others for the research project. The brains of the research participants were scanned with a functional magnetic resonance imaging system (fMRI, a technique that measures brain activity by detecting blood flow) while they performed a range of decision-making tasks. Interviews and questionnaires were conducted to understand the differences in cognitive functions such as decision-making and inhibitory control among people with different levels of addiction. Prof Wu expects that most participants will have their brains scanned multiple times over the two-year data collection period, so that researchers can understand how gaming and gambling addiction evolve and identify biomarkers that can potentially be used to determine the level of addiction. Researchers also used eye trackers and other tools to see if visual stimuli (e.g. different levels of lighting and different ways to display previous gambling results), sounds, and smells in the environment where people play games or gamble have different impacts on the development of behavioural addiction. As the gambling industry continues to grow rapidly across the Asia-Pacific, online gambling and gaming are also becoming more common worldwide. Prof Wu therefore believes that the research project will not only benefit the local community, but also provide useful data for experts and institutions around the world. Through this project, the research team has established a long-term partnership with the S.K.H. Macau Social Services Coordination Office. They not only recruit participants for the study, but also have plans for knowledge sharing and collaboration to further develop community education programmes and intervention services. By comprehensively understanding and showing how behavioural addiction changes the brain, the research team also hopes to help those affected recognise that addiction is the result of a variety of complex factors, and it does not represent a bad personality. ‘Behavioural addiction is a chronic disease that affects the brain. Just like those with other illnesses, people with behavioural addiction have a lot of ways to seek professional treatment to improve their lives,’ says Prof Wu.
COVER STORY • 封面專題 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 • 澳大新語 15 文 / 葉浩男‧圖 / 何杰平，部分由受訪者提供 Chinese & English / Davis Ip ‧ Photo / Jack Ho, with some provided by the interviewees 多語言使用與大腦的執行功能 Multilingualism and the Brain’s Executive Functions 標的能力。這類高層次認知能力稱為「執行功能」， 缺乏執行功能就無法有策略地思考和行動。 哈佛大學兒童發展中心的學者曾說，如果大腦是一個 同時處理很多航班升降的機場，「執行功能」就是機 場的空中交通管制塔，把來自四周的資訊按輕重緩急 處理。李教授指出，執行功能主要有三種：一）抑制 控制，即為達到目標而抑制衝動的能力，例如為健康 而節食、為學習而放棄玩樂；二）工作記憶，即暫時 儲存一些資訊來指導決策和行動，例如解決數學問題 時記著題目；三）認知靈活性，即因應變化而調整行 精通多語的人比較聰明嗎？從小接觸不同語言能使大 腦發展「贏在起跑線」嗎？為了尋找新的證據解答這 些問題，澳門大學認知與腦科學研究中心開展了一個 研究項目，建立多語言、多模態和多群體的大腦表層 功能腦圖譜。 執行功能：大腦空中交通管制塔 「跨語言處理中的執行功能：基於神經認知的研究」 項目負責人、研究中心成員、人文學院翻譯傳譯認知 研究中心主任李德鳳教授說，「智力」可以是指一個 人的認知能力，包括控制思想、情緒和行為來實現目 澳大團隊招募市民以不同語言閱讀、說話、聆聽或進行同步傳譯，收集關於認知活動的數據。 A UM research team recruits residents to read, speak, listen, or provide simultaneous interpretation in different languages. The researchers collect data on participants’ cognitive activities when they perform these language tasks.
澳大新語 • 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 16 封面專題 • COVER STORY 譜」正是以嶄新的「基於大腦皮層表面」的方法建構。 澳門多語環境有利研究 為甚麼在澳門推動這項研究？認知與腦科學研究中 心成員、英文系副教授李麗青表示：「澳門是多語 言、多文化的社會，多種教育模式並存，有利於招 募不同語言和生活背景的研究對象。」現有類似的 腦圖譜的分析對象多為英語使用者，澳大研究團隊 則會招募約250名不同年齡層和語言背景的人士， 讓他們以中文（廣東話和普通話）、葡文或英文閱 讀、說話、聆聽或進行同步傳譯，期間研究人員用 功能磁共振成像平台掃描他們的腦部，並以眼動追 蹤設備收集認知活動數據。 憑藉這些影像和數據，研究團隊將能探討單語者、雙 語者和多語者大腦內與執行功能相關的神經表徵，也 能分析人們作單語處理和跨語言處理（例如同步傳 譯）、執行單模態和多模態任務（例如同時閱讀和聆 聽）時，與語言不直接相關的腦區域的激活程度。研 究團隊也會研究語言訓練會否影響執行功能的發展。 李德鳳教授說，「澳大大腦圖譜」將於網上向全球的 科學家開放，為各地的認知與腦科學研究提供基礎數 據，研究成果也將有助進一步了解語言控制相關的認 知與神經機制，為早期教育、語言教育、翻譯教育和 預防腦退化等領域的研究提供借鑒。 動，例如發現一間餐廳滿座後另覓地方用膳。這些執 行功能並非與生俱來，而是經年累月發展，是幼兒和 青少年教育的重要一環。 「雙語優勢」存在嗎？ 有研究指出多語者的執行功能較強，例如能更有效地 處理與本身認知有矛盾的資訊，該假設稱為「雙語優 勢」，但缺乏確鑿證據。李教授說：「能說不同語言 自然有助溝通、生活、學習和工作，但這個行為本身 能否提高認知能力，學術界卻未有共識。過去很多研 究的結果相互矛盾，而且可重複性較低。」 此外，李教授指過往不少研究沒有充分考慮執行功能 會否受教育水平和社會經濟地位的差異所影響。「另 一方面，執行功能分很多類，多語者即使可能某類執 行功能較強，他們的其它執行功能可能與單語者的相 若，甚至較差。」 認知與腦科學研究中心、心理學系助理教授張浩云 說，雙語經驗並非一個絕對的分類變量。不同雙語者 使用兩種語言的具體經驗存在很大差異。語言習得年 齡、語言熟練度、語言優勢、在不同語言之間切換的 頻率和情境等因素，都可能會調節雙語經驗和執行功 能的關係。 大腦表層語言功能圖譜 多語者和單語者的執行功能到底有否差異？如果有， 以不同語言聽、說、讀、寫會不會對執行功能有不同 影響？認知與腦科學研究中心、科技學院助理教授黄 瑞松說，為了解答這些問題，澳大研究人員正在利用 功能磁共振成像技術，建立一個多語言、多模態和多 群體的表層腦圖譜，將包括逾千幅大腦皮層影像。 黄教授說，全球各地的科學家都在繪製人和其它動物 的各類腦圖譜。這些圖譜由不同掃描技術生成，顯示 大腦不同的功能活動、基因表達、結構和各個腦區之 間的聯繫。繪製大腦圖譜不單要掃描腦部，還要對影 像作一系列處理和分析，包括對不同人的大腦地圖的 配準與平均。 目前大多數腦圖譜以「基於三維體積」的方法作配 準，但近年有研究指出，經「基於大腦皮層表面」的 方法處理的圖譜更能完整保留與大腦皮層激活和不同 區域運接相關的細節。黃教授指出，「澳大大腦圖 澳大的多模態多語言圖譜項目涉及三種語言和三個研究階段 UM’s multimodal and multilingual language mapping project involves three languages and three research stages
COVER STORY • 封面專題 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 • 澳大新語 17 Are multilingual people smarter than those who understand only one language? Does learning multiple languages at a young age have a positive impact on brain development? In search of new insights to unravel these mysteries, the Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences (CCBS) at the University of Macau (UM) has launched a research project to establish a multilingual, multimodal, and multigroup surface-based functional brain atlas. Executive Functions: ‘Air Traffic Control Tower’ of the Brain Prof Li Defeng, a member of CCBS and director of the Centre for Studies of Translation, Interpreting and Cognition in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, is leading the research project titled ‘Executive Functions in Cross-lingual Processing: A Neurocognitive Investigation’. He says intelligence refers to our cognitive abilities, including our ability to control our minds, emotions, and actions to achieve our goals. These kinds of high-level cognitive abilities are called ‘executive functions’ (EF), without which one cannot think or act strategically. Researchers in the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University describe executive functions as something ‘much like an air traffic control tower at a busy airport’ that handles multiple flights simultaneously by prioritising information from all directions. According to Prof Li, there are three main areas of EF. First, inhibitory control is the ability to override a thought to achieve a goal, such as eating less to stay healthy or sacrificing the fun of playing for learning. Secondly, working memory is the ability to temporarily store information to guide decisions and actions, such as remembering the question when solving a math problem. Finally, cognitive flexibility is the ability to adapt our behaviour and thinking to a changing environment, such as finding an alternative when you enter a restaurant and discover that it is fully booked. Developing these skills, which are not inborn but developed over time, is an important part of educating children and adolescents. Is There a ‘Bilingual Advantage’? Some studies suggest that people who speak different languages have better EF, including the ability to deal with information that contradicts their own perceptions. However, there is not yet conclusive evidence for this ‘bilingual advantage’ hypothesis. ‘Multilingualism obviously brings many advantages in learning, studying, living, and communicating with others,’ says Prof Li. ‘But the question is whether multilingualism in itself improves cognitive abilities. There is no consensus among scientists on this question, because many research results are contradictory and not very reproducible.’ According to Prof Li, many of the previous studies overlooked the impact of different levels of education and socio-economic status on the development of EF. ‘Moreover, some studies only looked at one area of EF. It may be that multilingualism improves performance in one area but has no effect or even impairs it in another.’ says Prof Li. According to Zhang Haoyun, assistant professor in CCBS and the Department of Psychology, bilingualism is not a univariate variable. Rather, there is a large variation in the level of bilingual functioning (i.e., degree of bilingualism) characterising individuals who speak two languages. Factors such as age of acquisition, language proficiency, language dominance, frequency of intra-sentential and between-clause code-switching, and language processing contexts are all likely to modulate the degree of bilingualism and, in turn, modulate the relationship between bilingualism and executive functions. Surface-based Functional Brain Atlas of Language Functions Are there significant differences between the EF of multilingual people and those of people who speak only one language? If so, do the different ways of using languages (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) affect our EF differently? According to Huang Ruey-Song, assistant professor in CCBS and the Faculty of Science and Technology, to find answers to these questions, researchers at UM are using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and other techniques to create a multilingual, multimodal, and multigroup surface-based functional brain atlas that will contain more than 1000 maps of the cerebral cortex. ‘Scientists around the world have already created many types of atlases of the brains of humans and other animals,’ says Prof Huang. These atlases, which consist of scans using various techniques, show the different activities and gene expression in brains, their structure, and the connections between brain regions. To create a brain atlas, scientists not only have to
澳大新語 • 2022 UMAGAZINE 26 18 封面專題 • COVER STORY scan the brains of many subjects, but also perform precise image processing steps, including registration and averaging of maps across different brains. ‘Most existing brain atlases use volume-based methods for cross-subject averaging, but recent studies suggest that “surface-based methods” can preserve more detail of cortical activation and connectivity between brain regions,’ says Prof Huang, who adds that the UM brain atlas will be created using some of the latest surface-based mapping methods. Multilingual Macao Ideal for Research Why is Macao the right place for this research project? ‘The co-existence of different languages, cultures, and educational systems in the city allows us to easily recruit research participants from diverse linguistic and social backgrounds,’ says Victoria Lei, a member of CCBS and associate professor in the Department of English. While similar brain atlases have primarily captured English speakers, the UM research team will invite about 250 people to read, speak, listen, or provide simultaneous interpretation between Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Portuguese, or English. When the research participants perform these language tasks, the researchers will scan their brains using an fMRI scanner and collect data on cognitive activity using eye-tracking devices. Using fMRI scans and data, the research team will be able to identify the neural representations and networks of different languages that are related to EF in the brains of monolingual, bilingual, and multilingual people. Researchers will also be able to analyse the activation of brain regions not directly related to language when people perform monolingual and multilingual processing tasks (such as simultaneous interpreting), as well as unimodal and multimodal tasks (such as reading and listening at the same time). In the later stage of this project, the team will also investigate whether language training affects the development of EF. According to Prof Li, the UM Surface-Based Brain Atlas Database, which will be accessible to scientists around the world, will provide fundamental data for cognitive and brain science research in various fields. He believes that the research findings from this project will lead to a deeper understanding of the cognitive and neural mechanisms of language control and provide useful leads for research in areas such as early childhood education, language teaching, translation training, and neurodegenerative disease prevention. 左起：李麗青教授、張浩云教授、李德鳳教授、黄瑞松教授 From left: Prof Victoria Lei, Prof Zhang Haoyun, Prof Li Defeng, Prof Huang Ruey-Song
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