Science of Drug Use

About Addiction Science Many people don’t understand why or how other people become addicted to drugs. They may mistakenly think that those who use drugs lack moral principles or willpower and that they could stop their drug use simply by choosing to. In reality, drug addiction is a complex disease, …

About the Adolescent Brain Research has shown that brain development continues into a person’s 20s—a time that encompasses many important developmental and social changes in a young person’s life. Yet important questions remain about the factors that influence brain development and their impact on physical, cognitive, emotional, and academic trajectories. …

Image Washington University – University of Minnesota Human Connectome Project consortium (http://humanconnectome.org/). High-resolution, non-invasive imaging techniques produce detailed diagrams of neural tracts, enabling new analyses of how brain regions are connected.The human brain is the most complex organ in the body—you need it to drive a car, to enjoy a …

Why do some people become addicted while others don’t? Family studies that include identical twins, fraternal twins, adoptees, and siblings suggest that as much as half of a person’s risk of becoming addicted to nicotine, alcohol, or other drugs depends on his or her genetic makeup. Pinning down the biological …