BRAIN ACTIVITY SIMILARITIES NOTED

Researchers at the Medical College of Wisconsin have found a similarity
between the brain activity of an addict craving cocaine and a non-addict
craving sex.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, a technique for determining
which parts of the brain are activated by different types of stimuli, they
found that although the brain of addicts was stimulated by watching either
films about sex or drugs, the brain of non-addicts was only aroused by the
sex film.

The researchers believe their findings may help in developing better
treatment approaches because it shows a link between environmental cues and
addiction.

The study is published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.