Aug 24, 2023 · The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines addiction as "a chronic disease characterized by drug seeking and use that is compulsive, or difficult to control, …

Jul 6, 2020 · The brain is made up of many parts with interconnected circuits that all work together as a team. Different brain circuits are responsible for coordinating and performing specific …

May 25, 2022 · That’s because addiction develops when the pleasure circuits in the brain get overwhelmed, in a way that can become chronic and sometimes even permanent. This is …

Aug 5, 2025 · Stanford Medicine researchers discuss the brain’s ancient wiring and how its built-in reward-seeking system can be hijacked by addiction — as well as ways to prevent and treat it.

What happens in addiction is that, through completely natural processes involved in all learning, the brain prunes nerve pathways of attention and motivation to preferentially notice, focus on,...

Jul 28, 2025 · At the heart of addiction lies the brain’s reward system, a network of neurons that evolved to help us survive. This system lights up when we do things essential to life—eating …

Aug 23, 2025 · Addiction rarely happens overnight. Instead, it develops in stages, often described as the cycle of addiction. This cycle explains how addictive behaviors form, why relapse is so …

Sep 25, 2024 · Addiction takes hold via a series of changes that happen in the brain, a problem scientists often refer to as “wiring” the brain for addiction. While alcohol and drug use may start …

Aug 19, 2025 · This article will provide an overview of how addiction affects the brain, the interventions available to address it, and offer a personal perspective on addiction.

Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other …