And this is all well and good for people who WANT to quit smoking. But they just don't get it! Many of us actually enjoy smoking and have no desire to quit!
Will this ever stop???
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Posted on 01/26/2007 10:04:33 AM PST by The Raven
SCIENTISTS have pinpointed the source of nicotine addiction — a 2.5-centimetre-wide pleasure centre deep in the brain.
The insula, a small island in the cerebral cortex, has been described as a "platform for feelings and emotion".
Researchers found that smokers who suffered damage to this part of the brain were able to quit quickly and easily.
They suspect the insula may also be involved in other forms of addictive behaviour that keep people hooked on drugs or excessive eating.
Understanding the link could lead to new ways to deal with addiction.
The discovery emerged after US scientists learned of a heavy smoker whose dependency was broken after a stroke damaged his insula.
The man, who had smoked 40 cigarettes a day, quit immediately. He told researchers that his body "forgot the urge to smoke".
An investigation of 69 brain-damaged smokers then revealed 19 with insula injury. Of these, 13 had also given up, all but one without any difficulty. The researchers do not know why the six others failed to quit.
The study leader, Antoine Bechara, of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, said: "One of the most difficult problems in any form of addiction is the difficulty in stopping the urge to smoke, to take a drug, or to eat for that matter.
"Now we have identified a brain target for further research into dealing with that urge."
The insula receives information from other parts of the body and is thought to help translate those signals into something subjectively felt, such as hunger, pain, or a craving.
In the 1990s, a neuroscientist, Antonio Damasio, first suggested that the insula was a platform for feelings and emotion.
"It's really intriguing to think that disrupting this region breaks the pleasure feelings associated with smoking," he said.
Compared with other brain regions, the insula has not attracted much attention from addiction researchers.
But some imaging studies have shown that the region is activated by drug-associated cues, such as the sight of people taking drugs, or drug-taking equipment such as spoons, syringes and "roll-up" paper.
Any anti-smoking treatment aimed at the insula would have to preserve the brain region's beneficial functions.
But Dr Bechara points out that the insula appears to be involved specifically with "learned behaviours", rather than fundamental drives necessary for survival. He believes it might be possible to target one without disrupting the other.
The findings were reported this week in the journal Science. Peter Stern, the journal's senior editor, said: "This kind of study is quite forward-looking. In addition to investigating a basic scientific mechanism underlying drug addiction, these authors have come up with innovative ideas about how we may be able to treat addiction and prevent relapse."
I think that means that smokers are disabled / handicapped.
That means that the AWDA (Americans with Disabilitys Act) covers them. Smoke breaks, special acomodations are in order!
Me too! Post of the day, LOL.
Ever notice how the real funny ones are in the first few posts ???
okay-how long did you smoke? and did you enjoy smoking? what were your reasons for quitting?
Ive tried everything from hypnosis, pills, patches, gum etc.
I want to quit for health reasons and i think the biggest problem is for the most part, i enjoy it (but hate the cost, smell....)
And this is all well and good for people who WANT to quit smoking. But they just don't get it! Many of us actually enjoy smoking and have no desire to quit!
Will this ever stop???
\
>>okay
-how long did you smoke? 40 yrs
and did you enjoy smoking? Yes
what were your reasons for quitting? Don't want to die young
>>Many of us actually enjoy smoking and have no desire to quit! Will this ever stop???
After taking Chantix - I didn't even remember why I liked it. That desire goes away.
Thanks:)
Could be a job for Cyber-Knife!
This is one of those very rare occasions where I like to quote Andrew Dice Clay: "I still smoke, 'cause it pisses people off"
Cheers,
Lloyd
None, in fact...
Thank you for your positive comments on it - I'm off to get it filled.
Im wondering if both, or atleast one of you would be willing to FRmail me after your first week.
i just scheduled an appt, but its not for 3 weeks. would like to know how it works for you guys:)
"I'm off to get it filled."
Good luck to you!
I just heard of it today, and I'm thinking of trying it. I might freepmail you in a couple of weeks and see how it's working out for you...
Will do.
much appreciated!
You may not be all that rare. I too quit several times over the years, often just because I never can do anything consistently.
The last time, it took will power to deny such a pleasure, but not a great deal of it.
Never really had what I'd call an addiction to it...or anything else.
They should put US in a study, eh? We could really fudge up the results.
Speaking of fudge, it's time for my IV.
And KoRn - please let me know you are are doing with it.
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