Study Sheds Light On Why It Is So Hard To Quit Smoking

Washington (dbTechno) - With the new year now here, many people have made the resolution to quit smoking in 2009.  As we all know though, this is easier said than done.

A new study has found and explained just why it is so difficult to quit.

U.S. researchers led by Prof. Joseph McClernon of Duke University Medical Center in North Carolina used MRI scans to watch brain activity of smokers who were trying to quit.

What they found was that there is a big change in brain activity during the time when people smoke, to the 24-hours after they quit.

They found that only 5% of those who try to quit without any help, end up smoking again.

During the MRI scans they went through, they were shown pictures of people smoking.

When people quit smoking, their brain activity increased further when being shown the pictures of others smoking.

The brain activity was seen most in the area which has to do with learning habits, the dorsal striatum.

The study has been published in the journal Psychopharmacology.