Motivation and the Brain

Running head: Motivation and the Brain

Motivation and the Brain

Matt Innerarity

PSY 355 Gavin G. Coriell

July 15, 2012

Motivation and the Brain

Many scientists and psychologists in general, have been trying to determine what exactly the relationship between the brain and addictions is for many years. Specifically, psychologists have been trying to identify the motivations that lie behind the very root causes of how addiction affects the brain and vice versa. When an individual finds themselves addicted to drugs, for example, trying to refrain from their use and abuse has proven to be extremely difficult for the addict to overcome. The drug of choice soon becomes the primary driving force in an addict’s life, even at the expense of their personal relationships and their personal health. The reasons why a person begins to abuse drugs vary from person to person and run the entire spectrum from just having fun to a desperate need to escape some kind of personal problem or issue. The following paper will discuss the very structure and various functions of the brain as it pertains to addiction, the impact of both intrinsic as well as extrinsic factors, and the impact of heredity versus the environment.

In order to begin a serious examination of how addiction and the ability to refrain from using drugs works, one must begin by discussing the very structure of the brain and how it functions. The brain is considered to be one of the most complex and delicate organs in the human body. When the brain is affected by drug use, it releases dopamine into the body. Dopamine can be defined as a neurotransmitter that plays an important part in addiction. It is a chemical messenger, very similar to adrenaline that affects the brain processes that control movement, emotional response, and the ability to experience both pleasure and pain (University of Texas, 2012). Often, the use and abuse of drugs will cause the brain to release this neurotransmitter into the...