Researchers from the University of Iowa and U. of Southern California report that 12 people who suffered brain injuries to the insula were able to quit smoking cigarettes without difficulty (but 6 people with similar injuries did not quit).
The insula is a specific region of the brain found near the ear. Researchers hypothesize that the insula's job is to interpret physical sensations like heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature into emotions. This latest study suggests that the insula may also be responsible for activating a smoker's craving for cigarettes.
Antismoking treatments based on these findings are probably years off -- doctors are not planning to inflict brain damage as a treatment for people who would like to quit smoking.
“The question is, Can you learn to deactivate the insula?” Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, said. “Now, everybody’s going to be looking at the insula.”
Read the NY Times article. Thanks Ms. Vaughan for emailing me the article!
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