Addiction and the Brain




The dopamine pathway is not the only part of the brain affected by addiction. Alcohol and drugs can profoundly affect different neurological circuits. Prolonged excessive alcohol use, for example, is believed to cause cause pervasive alterations in the brain's stressand stressand anti-stress systems. These changes, in and of themselves, may lead to additional compulsive drinking.

Drugs of abuse affect the parts of the brain that control pleasure, motivation, emotion, and memory, these changes can lead to the disease of drug addiction. Using drugs repeatedly over time changes brain structure and function in fundamental and long-lasting ways that can persist long after a person stops using them. Different types of drugs affect the brain in different ways, altering different aspects of the brain chemistry. However, with prolonged abstinence, some of the brain changes caused by specific drugs (e.g., methamphetamine) may be reversible, which is one reason why treatment is essential.

Addiction can be effectively treated and managed through lifestyle changes and, in some cases, the use of medication.

Our brain controls our decisionmaking, letting us know when to go forward with an action and when to stop. Scientists have learned which parts of the brain send these messages.
