Instapundit links to a Popular Science article from which the photo above was obtained. The brain scans are courtesy of Dr. Nora D. Volkow/Brookhaven National Laboratory. Brain scans show that many forms of addiction—including compulsive behaviors like gluttony—have the same roots in the brain. Addictions of many kinds often make use of the same brain pathways. Although there is no single “addiction gene,” research has shown that various forms of addiction may share genes as well as brain circuits.
By early this year, studies will reveal gene variants that increase vulnerability to nicotine and alcohol addiction. Those same genetic variations will probably appear in future studies of cocaine and opiate abuse—and lead to still more treatments, according to the author of the piece, Tabitha M. Powledge.
This is some scientific research that cannot happen soon enough.
1 comment:
Wow. And I do have an addiction. It's chocolate. Food is a close second. I had no idea it would actually effect my brain. I just kept telling myself it was better than alcohol. Maybe not. (also, thanks for stopping by and commenting).
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