Motivation and the Brain

Brain

Motivation and the Brain

Julie Fenyk

PSY/355

Introduction:

It is estimated by the American Lung Association that there are over a billion people who smoke cigarettes all over the world and approximately 5 billion who are suffering from some type of tobacco related illness. (American Lung Association, 2012) Most individuals are aware of the dangers of smoking cigarettes as well as how addictive this habit can become yet a large number of people still continue to do so.

Being able to quit this harmful habit often depends on how much motivation a person feels to stop smoking, the different structures as well as functions of the brain that are involved, and the additional extrinsic (external) and intrinsic ( internal) elements.

Structures and Functions of the Brain:

Many studies that have been performed by researchers show that not only is cigarette smoking highly addictive, 10% who become addicted do so only a few days after smoking their first cigarette. After an individual smokes one single cigarette it only takes the nicotine from that one cigarette to have an effect on the brain and it can remain there well after the individual has ceased to smoke. (American Lung Association, 2012)

After extensive research had been applied to discovering why individuals had such a difficult time in quitting cigarette smoking it was discovered that there were specific brain structures involved in nicotine addiction. Using a test known as a P.E.T. scan, or Position Emission Tomography scan, doctors have been given the ability to observe which portions of the brain are stimulated when individuals perform specific activities.( Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2012 ) After performing...