Addiction Isn't Hardwired: Intellectual Pursuits May Buffer Brain Against Addiction

Thursday, July 23, 2015 - 10:10 in Psychology & Sociology

Challenging the idea that addiction is hardwired in the brain, a new study suggests that even a short time spent in a stimulating learning environment can rewire the brain’s reward system and buffer it against drug dependence. Scientists tracked cocaine cravings in more than 70 adult male mice and found that those rodents whose daily drill included exploration, learning and finding hidden tasty morsels were less likely than their enrichment-deprived counterparts to seek solace in a chamber where they had been given cocaine. read more

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