According to a recent report in the journal Science, researchers have discovered that injury to the insula, a small region of the brain located near the ear, disrupts tobacco addiction. In the past addiction research focused on thinking and decision making regions of the cortex. This new discovery was made while studying stroke victims who had quit smoking.
Patients with damage to the insula quit easily and no longer have cravings to smoke, while patients with injuries to other areas of the brain did not have this experience. The insula is associated with conscious urges. Research on this area of the brain is fairly new. The recent findings regarding its impact on smoking seem to back up previous studies which indicated that the insula plays a critical role in anticipating and experiencing both pleasure and pain.
Unfortunately, most brain injuries don’t have such potential to be beneficial. If you have questions about a serious injury, feel free to contact personal injury attorneys Wooten & Honeywell, specializing in tobacco product liability and other forms of personal injury in Florida.
