Explanations for nicotine addiction: brain neurochemistry, including the role of dopamine
Nicotine triggers the release of dopamine, a brain chemical that produces feelings of pleasure. The brain learns to crave cigarettes because smoking repeatedly activates this reward system.
Real World
Brain imaging studies by Volkow et al. showed that smokers have fewer dopamine D2 receptors in the striatum than non-smokers, meaning they need nicotine just to reach normal dopamine levels.
Exam Focus
Name the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens specifically — the mark scheme rewards precise neurochemical pathway detail.
Evaluation Scaffold
A four-step framework for high-quality evaluation. Use this for 'assess', 'evaluate', and 'to what extent' questions.
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