Brain Chemistry and Addiction

Our minds are a mysterious mixture of the abstract psychological and the embodied physical in the form of molecules and physiology. This page takes a closer look at the emerging scientific research into what happens within the addicted brain.

Internet Sex Addiction Treated With Naltrexone
Proceedings of the Mayo Clinic (February 2008) by J.Michael Bostwick, MD and Jeffrey A. Bucci, MD look at an individual case study which successfully recruits the anti-opiate drug Naltrexone in the treatment of internet sex addiction.

Hooked: Why your brain is primed for addiction
This article from New Scientist looks at the influence of dopamine, and brain physiology on our addictive tendencies.

Drug-binge mice reveal why cravings linger
Delving more deeply into the the neurological pathways involved in addiction.

Predisposition to Addiction Found in Cocaine Study
A lack of dopamine receptors in a specific brain region could trigger increased compulsions, such as drug addiction.