Hooked: Why Bad Habits are Hard to Break – 60 Minutes Interview with NIDA’s Dr. Nora Volkow

Hooked: Why Bad Habits are Hard to Break – 60 Minutes Interview with NIDA’s Dr. Nora Volkow

In the battle against addiction, “just say no” is magical thinking, says Dr. Nora Volkow. She’s the head of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and after spending decades studying the brains of addicts, Dr. Volkow has determined that drug addiction is a chronic disease that physically changes the brain. Dr. Volkow has found that even images of an addictive substance, such as alcohol or drugs, can produce a dopamine response in an addict’s brain, and some foods can trigger a similar reaction. Morley Safer reports on Dr. Volkow’s revolutionary research into addiction, as well as on her revolutionary family history.

The 60 Minutes segment is available at: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57423321/hooked-why-bad-habits-are-hard-to-break/

Source: CBSNews.com – April 29-30, 2012