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Tag Archives: the-brain

Abnormal Brain Structure In Both Siblings – Addiction Only Affects One

A study conducted by Dr. Karen Ersche, Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge, England, and published in Science, reveals that one sibling who is addicted to drugs, and the other who is not, have similar brain abnormalities. These abnormalities come from an area of the brain that is vital for aiding people in exhibiting self control…

Addicts’ Cravings Have Different Roots In Men And Women

When it comes to addiction, sex matters. A new brain imaging study by Yale School of Medicine researchers suggests stress robustly activates areas of the brain associated with craving in cocaine-dependent women, while drug cues activate similar brain regions in cocaine-dependent men. The study, expected to be published online Jan…

Alarming Number Of Texas Teens Playing The Choking Game

Nearly one out of seven college students surveyed at a Texas university has participated in the Choking Game, a dangerous behavior where blood flow is deliberately cut off to the brain in order to achieve a high, according to a study by The Crime Victims’ Institute at Sam Houston State University…

New Research Shows How Neurons Interact And Could Lead To New Treatment For Addiction

Harvard scientists have developed the fullest picture yet of how neurons in the brain interact to reinforce behaviors ranging from learning to drug use, a finding that might open the door to possible breakthroughs in the treatment of addiction…

Internet Addiction Linked To White Matter Differences In Teen Brains

Researchers in China who compared the brain scans of 18 teenagers diagnosed with Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD) with those of 18 non-addicted teenagers found differences in white matter density in over 20 brain regions. A report on their findings was published online in the 11 January issue of PLoS ONE…

Internet Addiction Disorder Characterized By Abnormal White Matter Integrity

Internet addiction disorder may be associated with abnormal white matter structure in the brain, as reported in the online journal PLoS ONE. These structural features may be linked to behavioral impairments, and may also provide a method to study and treat the disorder…

Scientists Show That Drinking Alcohol Releases Brain Endorphins

Drinking alcohol leads to the release of endorphins in areas of the brain that produce feelings of pleasure and reward, according to a study led by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of California, San Francisco…

New Clues Into The Addicted Brain Offered By UC Berkeley

What drives addicts to repeatedly choose drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, overeating, gambling or kleptomania, despite the risks involved? Neuroscientists at the University of California, Berkeley, have pinpointed the exact locations in the brain where calculations are made that can result in addictive and compulsive behavior…

New Findings On How The Brain’s Own Marijuana-Like Chemicals Suppress Pain

New findings about how the brain functions to suppress pain have been published in the leading journal Pain, by NUI Galway researchers. For the first time, it has been shown that the hippocampus of the brain, which is usually associated with memory, has an active role to play in suppressing pain during times of stress…

Alcohol’s Effect On Immune System Provides Clue To Potential Dependence Medication

Most people relate to the body’s immune system in terms of fighting off colds, however, new research from the University of Adelaide seems to indicate that immune cells in the brain may contribute to how people respond to alcohol…