The Addictive Brain

by Thad A. Polk

Addiction touches us all. Whether it’s a friend who can’t quit smoking, a colleague afflicted with alcoholism, or a relative abusing prescription drugs, we all know someone who suffers from some form of addiction—we may even have an addiction ourselves. By some estimates, roughly one in four Americans might be considered addicts. On the other hand, many of us use substances such as alcohol recreationally, without suffering the physical or psychological symptoms of addiction. So what is the difference between drug use, abuse, and clinical addiction? What causes addictions? What happens when your brain is on drugs, and why do addicts behave the way they do?

12 Lectures

1. Addiction 101
2. The Psychology and Neuroscience of Reward
3. How Addiction Hijacks the Brain
4. Genetics: Born to Be an Addict?
5. Your Brain on Drugs
6. Why We Crave Coffee and Cigarettes
7. Alcohol: Social Lubricant or Drug of Abuse?
8. The Science of Marijuana
9. Stimulants: From Cocaine to Ritalin
10. The Science of Poppies, Pleasure, and Pain
11. The Gambler's Brain
12. Junk Food, Porn, Video Games: Addictions?

Listening Length: 6 hours and 23 minutes

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Psychology, Health, Biology, Neuroscience

7 pages, Audible Audio

Published March 6, 2015

About the author

Professor Thad A. Polk is an Arthur F. Thurnau Professor in the Department of Psychology and the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan. He received a B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Virginia and an interdisciplinary Ph.D. in Computer Science and Psychology from Carnegie Mellon University. He also received postdoctoral training in cognitive neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania.

Professor Polk’s research combines functional imaging of the human brain with computational modeling and behavioral methods to investigate the neural architecture underlying cognition. Some of his major projects have investigated differences in the brains of smokers who quit compared with those who do not, changes in the brain as we age, and contributions of nature versus nurture to neural organization. Professor Polk regularly collaborates with scientists at the University of Texas at Dallas and at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development in Berlin, where he is a frequent visiting scientist.

Professor Polk regularly teaches on topics ranging from the human mind and brain, to cognitive psychology, to computational modeling of cognition. His teaching at the University of Michigan has been recognized by numerous awards, and he was named to The Princeton Review’s list of the Best 300 Professors in the United States.

Reviews

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The opioid addiction epidemic has been in the news recently so I decided to listen to these twelve lectures to inform myself on the subject of addiction.

When something is advertised on TV in the United States during the Super Bowl Game you know that there are plenty of potential customers for that product. In the last Super Bowl Game there was an advertisement for a product to relieve constipation due to opioid use. That is definitive indication of an opioid addiction epidemic.

This NIH report provides the following estimate of opioid abuse:

It is estimated that between 26.4 million and 36 million people abuse opioids worldwide, with an estimated 2.1 million people in the United States suffering from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers in 2012 and an estimated 467,000 addicted to heroin.

When addiction to tobacco, alcohol, and other illicit drugs are included roughly 80 million Americans could be considered addicts (1 in 4 Americans). The costs related to crime, lost work productivity, and health care in the United States is estimated to be 600 billion dollars.

These lectures are focused mostly on the workings of the brain with some references made to psychological factors and possible approaches to ending addictive behavior. The lectures go into quite a bit of detail regarding the neurological mechanism whereby the brain reacts to stimuli such as drugs. There are separate lectures on caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, cannabinoids (marijuana), stimulants (e.g. cocaine or Ritalin), and opioids (e.g. opium, codeine, morphine, or heroin).

Any activity that hyperstimulates the brain's reward circuit can potentially be addictive. This includes activities that don't involve the use of drugs. The final two lectures describe how gambling, video game playing, watching pornography, and over eating are activities that when done in excess can show all the neurological and psychological indicators of addiction. Addiction is diagnosed by the presence of abuse, dependence, and craving.

I was surprised to learn that pleasure is not the main driver of addiction. For a long time, scientists assumed that dopamine was associated with pleasure and liking, but recent evidence has suggested that that view is wrong. Rather it's the feeling of wanting or craving that is caused primarily by the release of dopamine. Essentially, when dopamine is released, it means that an unexpected reward has arrived, or soon will arrive. This feeling is termed "prediction error" which heightens associative learning that ties visual cues to the pleasurable stimulus.

It follows from the above information that people addicted to overeating do not necessarily enjoy eating more than other people. Rather their feelings of anticipation are stronger and they're more sensitive to visual or olfactory cues associated with food.

Ashley Gearhardt at the university of Michigan used fMRI to measure the neural response to food and food cues in two groups of young women: potential food addicts and controls. Her results are consistent with the idea that compulsive eaters are hypersensitive to food-related cues, but actually derive less-than-normal pleasure from real food consumption. This is the same kind of pattern we've seen in drug addicts: They crave drugs more despite deriving less and less pleasure from them.

I found it interesting to learn that the placebo effect can create measurable changes to dopamine levels within the body. So there's real chemistry involved in responses to placebos which some people consider to be "only in their head."

My personal addiction is writing reviews for goodreads.com. I can feel that dopamine already ; )

[Maede · Rating 4 out of 5]

این مجموعه لکچرهای بسیار جالب در ابتدا ریشه‌های اعتیاد در مغز رو از نظر علمی بررسی می‌کنه و بعد یک‌به‌یک در مورد مواد اعتیادآور و نحوه‌ی تاثیرگذاریشون روی مغز صحبت می‌کنه. صادقانه بگم که فهمیدن این دوره برام خیلی سخت بود، چون بسیار تخصصی صحبت می‌کنه و نوروساینس واقعا پیچیدست. برای همین نمی‌تونم بگم که کامل همه‌ی مفاهیم رو متوجه شدم اما سوال کلی‌ من که «مواد مخدر چطور عملکرد مغز رو تغییر میده؟» جواب داده شد

از جالب‌ترین بخش‌های هر لکچر اینه که نه تنها به عوارض موادمخدر اشاره می‌کنه، بلکه تاثیرات مثبتشون روی مغز و بدن رو هم توضیح میده. در آخر هم راه‌هایی برای ترک یا کنترل اعتیاد توصیه می‌کنه

طبق معمول نوشتن عنوان هر لکچر بهترین راه برای معرفی این دوره‌ست
۱. اعتیاد
۲. روانشناسی و نوروساینس پاداش
۳. چطور اعتیاد مغز رو می‌دزده
۴. ژنتیک - آیا در بعضی انسان‌ها شانس اعتیاد بالاتره؟
۵. مغز شما روی مواد مخدر
۶. قهوه و سیگار
۷. الکل
۸. ماری‌جوانا
۹. خانواده‌ی کوکایین و ریتالین
۱۰. خانواده‌ی خشخاش
۱۱. اعتیاد به قمار
۱۲. اعتیاد به فست‌فود، پورن و بازی کامپیوتری - آیا ممکنه؟

همون‌طور که در لیست مشخصه، دو لکچر آخر به طور ویژه در مورد اعتیادهای رفتاری هستند که این روزها بحث داغ دنیای علمه. اعتیاد به غیر مخدرها مثل اینترنت و قمار با اینکه در دنیا روز به روز بیشتر دیده میشه، اما اینکه دقیقاً چطور و چرا به وجود میاد هنوز جای تحقیق بسیار داره.

کانال تلگرام ریویوها و دانلود کتاب‌ها و صوتیشون
Maede's Books

۱۴۰۲/۷/۹

[Morgan Blackledge · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're looking for a quick but thorough primer on addiction and the brain, this is it. It's part of the Great Courses series and it absolutely lives up to the name.

It covers general topics such as learning and homeostasis. And it covers specific topics such as the pleasure and reward pathway and its effect on behavior.

It's not just about drugs, it's about all "addictive" or compulsive behavior.

As a psychology professor and mental health professional that works in the field addiction recovery, I can't recommend this course enough. Do you're self a favor and get it.

[Abel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative. The voice and teaching style of the professor didn't harsh my buzz.

[Imran Pasha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Human brain is the most powerful living organ in the entire solar system and you are the owner of that organ, what if the organ makes you so distinctive among the animal kingdom is working against you!

Mr. Thad dive into the neuroscience of addictive brain, what makes a person an addict, why some people get addicted and others don't .Why it is so hard to recover from any kind of addiction. he extensively deals with the substances abuses such as alcohol, heroine, meth in each chapter etc.. the course is extremely informative on genetic profile of addiction and tailoring the treatment of addicts based on their genetic profile , which something new for me!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This past Spring I attended a mental health symposium which included various speakers on various topics. One of the lecturers was a very reputable and compassionate Psychiatrist. He spoke about addiction, specifically the neuroscience behind it. I was literally mesmerized by the lecture. I am a private psychotherapist and addiction is not my specialty. But I was completely engrossed in this very interesting lecture!

When I came across this Great Courses book, it very much reminded me of the lecture I had heard this past Spring on addiction. I’m so glad I quickly downloaded the course on audible because I was not disappointed!!

While I do not specialize in addiction, I have had many clients, friends and family members affected by it. I can’t imagine a person not being affected by it in some way.

The stigma attached to addiction has always bothered me. Even in my field, the field of helpers, I have at times heard colleagues talk negatively regarding those struggling with addictions. I’d like for those colleagues to read this book!

There is a physiological, psychological, and scientific reason why it is so difficult to overcome an addiction. I admire those that have been through hell and managed to survive. We should all be giving those struggling our support without judgement and stigma.

Great Course! Highly Recommend to anyone interested in understanding the science behind addiction. Yes, there is some scientific jargon that went right over my head. But it didn’t really matter. I was still able to understand the basic concepts. I’m sure I’ll listen to it again. It’s organized well in 10 chapters, starting with the commonalities between all addictions, and then breaks down among different classes of drugs and behaviors.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this great course rather addicting and had to force myself to space it out to one a day. My only real complaint is that I wish it had been rather longer, but it was an absolutely fantastic topic.

--I noticed several comments on the pacing. I listen to all but the fastest of readers on 1.25x speed, and didn't notice any issues at this rate.

[Grant Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly interesting read.

Notes:

When scientists refer to addiction they refer to the compulsive continuation of a behavior despite truly significant negative consequences.

The three main characteristics of an addiction are:
1. Abuse
2. Physical dependence
3. Pathological craving

All addictions have a biological basis. All addictions hijack the brain's reward system, rewiring it to produce pathological cravings, numbing the pleasure response, and weakening inhibitory self-control.

A national survey in 2012 found:
23 million Americans need treatment for problems related to alcohol and drug use. Roughly 57,000,000 Americans are regular smokers, most of whom would like to quit but haven't been able to.
Overall, about 80 million Americans might be considered addicts. That's more than the population of California and Texas combined or roughly one out of every four people in the country.

This book is a look at the neuroscience of addiction.

What is a drug?
Drug: typically a substance, other than food, that change his biological functioning when it is introduced into the body from outside.

Psychoactive drugs like cocaine and heroin affect the function of the brain; they produce psychological changes and they are often addictive.

What constitutes a real addiction?
Tricky to answer. Substance use disorders (addictions) are diagnosed based on the presence of a subset of 11 characteristic features. If two or three of the features are present, a mild addiction is diagnosed. If four or five of the features are present, then a moderate addiction is diagnosed. The presence of six or more features indicates a severe addiction.
The features:
Abuse: Continuing to use even when it damages relationships, neglecting major responsibilities
Dependence: tolerance, withdrawal
Craving: frequently stimuli will trigger an insatiable desire to act out

Is it possible for a person to be addicted to something other than a drug?
Yes.

Though addiction has only relatively recently become a major threat, drugs are not new and drug use is not a modern development.
There's evidence that as early as 3400 BC the Samarian's recognize the effect of opium poppy.

It's clear that drug addiction has become a far greater problem in the last 150 years than it ever has before. A big reason behind this is the technology of making more potent drugs and the increased availability of those drugs.

The national Institute on drug abuse estimates that tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs cost the United States about $600 billion a year in cost related to crime, lost work productivity, and healthcare. That's over half a trillion every year. Alcohol is the worst offender at $235 Billion per year. The cost of tobacco and illicit drug use is estimated at $200 billion each per year. Those are just the economic costs. Smoking related illnesses kill 5 million people worldwide each year; that's over 500 people every hour. Alcohol is involved in about half of all highway deaths and the number of deaths related to drug overdose now exceeds the number of vehicles deaths in in 29 states.

Inside the brain itself
Pavlov's dogs. As it turns out, Pavlov was not a psychologist, but rather a physiologist and won the 1904 Nobel prize in physiology.
Classical conditioning: when bell then food.

Reward processing, 3 main areas of the brain:
3. Nucleus Accumbens: pleasure center, produces euphoria with drug use/addictive acting out
4. Pre-frontal Cortex: controls urges that come from pleasure center (CEO of the brain). Considers consequences and exert self-control.
5. Ventral Tegmental Area (VTA): in midbrain, can project to both NA and PFC. VTA is associated with award prediction and releases dopamine.

Negative reinforcement model vs positive reinforcement model:
It's no longer believed that addicts keep using because the withdrawal symptoms are so bad, rather the repeated overstimulation of the brain's reward circuit produces extreme positive reinforcement and changes in the brain that lead to addiction.

Three major changes in the brain that contribute to addiction:
1. Repeated overstimulation of the brains reward circuit numbs The response in the brain's pleasure center (nucleus accumbens)
2. Repeated overstimulation strengthens associations with other addiction-related cues.
3. It weakens inhibition from the prefrontal cortex which undermines self-control.

- Craving is not the same as liking

- Dopamine plays and absolutely sensual role in addiction in fact it has been called addiction molecule.

Chronic drug use impairs prefrontal cortex function and the prefrontal cortex is the logical, rational section of the brain that understand consequences and inhibits irrational behavior.
Self control goes down.

Are some people more genetically predisposed to the addicts than others?
Yes.

Roughly 1/3 of the worlds adult population smokes tobacco on a regular basis and roughly 80% of them started smoking before the age of 18.

Smoking related illnesses are estimated to kill more than 5 million people a year. That is over 500 people every hour and nearly 10 people every minute.

The life expectancy of a smoker is 10 years lower than a non-smoker.

Based on quit rates nicotine is as addictive as heroin.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that there are 140 million people who are addicted to (physically dependent on) alcohol worldwide.
This makes alcohol the single most abused substance on the planet.

Marijuana contains cannabinoids; THC is the most strong.
Cannabinoid receptors are the receptors in the brain that bind to cannabinoids. There are some cannabinoids that are naturally created within the body called endocannabinoids. The ones created outside the body, like THC are called exogenous cannabinoids.
Endocannabinoids help you to forget things that are helpful for you to forget. Example; if you park in the same parking garage every day it is actually helpful for you to forget where you parked yesterday so you can find your car.
That's why exogenous cannabinoids are used in some cases to treat PTSD, it will help you forget.
The adverse effect is memory loss. Hyper-activating the endocannabinoid system with an exogenous cannabinoid can cause you to forget things you want to remember. Think of a stoner.
- Cannabinoid Receptors are actually found all over the brain so there are a wide variety of effects depending on the users biology.
- Marijuana is the most widely used illegal used drug in the world. More than 17 million Americans use marijuana in a typical month and there are more than 3 million daily users. Nearly all started in adolescence. About 1/3 of high school seniors have tried marijuana in the past year, and about 1/5 are regular users. 1 in 8 8th graders have tried marijuana.

According to one study by the National Institute for Drug Abuse, marijuana is addictive to some. 9% of marijuana users became addicted after using vs 15% for alcohol, 17% for cocaine, and 32% for nicotine.

Opioid abuse:
In the US, about 45 people a day die from an overdose on a prescription pain killer; that's more than the number of overdose deaths from heroin and cocaine combined.

Behavioral addictions:
Gambling used to considered as a problem with impulse control versus an addiction. Not true anymore; but it is classified as a behavioral addiction.

Junk food, porn, video games:
Super-normal stimuli - the reward circuits in our brains are designed to reward good behavior like consuming calories (think energy for survival) and having sex (procreation). The over abundance of junk food and sex over stimulates our brains reward circuit.

-In 2005, porn accounted for approximately 70% of the total pay per view Internet content market.

[Kristin Hirsch · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - I really liked how this was structured as a lecture series and I feel like I got a lot out of it. Thought it was interesting that many of these drugs (nicotine, cocaine, morphine, etc.) were first discovered as a natural insecticide in plants.

[Mahmoud Ghoz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good lectures to let you know more about the nature reward system in your brain and why we become addictive.

[Amirography · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well organized set of lectures about what addiction means for brain. The best thing about these lectures was that they were strictly about the relation of brain and addiction. So you would get what you actually ordered.

[مُهنا · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting listen to the causes of addiction and the science on it, truly enjoyed every minute of it.

Don’t do drugs.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very informative, I learned a lot about different drug addictions, their effect on the brain, and ways to overcome these addictions. From Opioids to Caffeine to Alcohol to Video Gaming, very interesting content!

[Lindsay Nixon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Comprehensive and relatively short course on the neuroscience around addiction with chapters dedicated to each type of addiction.

I was delighted to hear Polk say that the only proven treatment for any addiction is a 12-step program and specifically the only treatment for addiction is: (1) Recognize that you have a problem. Commit to overcoming it. [Note: The motivation has to come from within, it can’t come from someone else. The addict has to want to change. Most people don’t want to change no matter what they say] (2) Understand and accept the cognitive and emotional motivations that lead to the behavior. (3) Develop a network of people to provide support and accountability. {this is literally the entire 'magic' of 12-step programs} Polk does say with some drug abuse addictions other pharmaceuticals may help.

To Summarize the entire course:

* When scientists refer to addiction they mean a compulsive continuation of a behavior despite truly negative consequence. Many people use addiction in a more light-hearted, casual way such as “addicted to coffee” or “addicted to working out” even though those habits do not lead to significant negative consequences. They could, sure--I drank so much coffee in college I ended up with rectal bleeding (and then stopped), but point is, real, true addictive disorder would only be diagnosed if there was (1) abuse of the thing (2) physical dependence on the thing and (3) a pathological craving.

* ALL addictions have a biological basis. There is literally something different in the brain of all types of addicts because ALL addictions hijack the brain's reward systems, rewiring it to produce pathologic cravings, numbing to the pleasure response, and weakening inhibitory self-control.

* This course is for addicts and non-addicts. By learning the about the biological basis of addiction, and how the human brain is naturally susceptible to addiction (and they're easy to pick up) you can gain COMPASSION for yourself and anyone who engages in seemingly incomprehensible behaviors/"vote against their own interest." Addiction is not the result of weak will or a moral failing. It the literal hijacking of your brain -- your brain LITERALLY CHANGES and changing it back is extraordinary difficult and why most people relapse be with an addiction to Facebook, online shopping, porn, wine, sugar, heroin, another person (codependency), work, money, dangerous activies, video games, cocaine and so on.

[Charlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely fantastic! I wish it were twice as long. Polk takes his students on a tour of the fascinating brain. He does not embellish or use the facts loosely in order to sensationalize the goings on of the mysterious brain. There is no need. The truth of how our brains become addicted is addicting in and of itself. Polk has a gift for taking the complexities of neuroscience and boiling them down into simplified, yet accurate, lectures that any curious person can follow. My dopamine receptors were going crazy the entire way through this lecture series. A+.

[Cassiokendi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Este audiolivro faz parte da série The Great Courses, em que cada capítulo é estruturado como uma aula universitária. Neste, o autor explica o que caracteriza um vício, e compara os efeitos no cérebro decorrentes da utilização de diferentes substâncias químicas, como cafeína, álcool, nicotina, maconha, cocaína e anfetaminas. No final, mostra alguns estudos que permitem classificar alguns comportamentos compulsivos como vícios: jogos de azar, pornografia, videogames e 'junk food'.

Gostei bastante da abordagem científica do livro e da didática do professor, que conseguiu passar de forma clara como os vícios se formam, quais os componentes químicos envolvidos em cada um, e a razão por trás de cada opção de tratamento. Aprendi também sobre a linha de raciocínio de estudos que investigam fatores genéticos (comparação de gêmeos idênticos e fraternos) e um pouco do funcionamento do sistema nervoso, mais especificamente da regulação de dopamina e de receptores de neurotransmissores.

Por fim, acho que terminei o livro com mais empatia por quem sofre de dependência química ou comportamental, por entender mais claramente o quão profundo é o impacto destes vícios no corpo humano.

[Aurelija || she is literal · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I'm glad I read this book. It’s firmly grounded in science but explained in a way that feels approachable rather than intimidating. The book analyses what causes addiction, how it changes the brain and what can actually help. And it does so in a clear, well structured way. I liked how the arguments build on each other instead of feeling like a collection of facts. Some of the deeper neuroscience went over my head and I definitely didn’t catch every detail. Still, the book was very informative without being overwhelming.

[Sve · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting insight into brain chemistry and how and why we get addicted to substances like coffee, nicotine, cocaine etc.
Unfortunately I got a bit distracted and did not pay attention at some of the key concepts presented. Maybe it would have been better if I read, rather than listened to this book.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shorter than expected, but there was a ton of really informative material. Polk does a great job sticking to the facts and science versus the ethical or political debate around addiction. Polk has a great conversational tone and is clear and concise in his delivery. Super easy to follow, and enjoyable to listen to. It made the learning a pleasure! And, as I always say - so fun to be able to listen and absorb without worrying about note taking or test taking!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great primer (or perhaps intermediary level study) on how different drugs affect brain and behavior, and on other addictive behaviors (gambling, food, porn, etc.). Full of research to back it all up.

[Cameron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bad read. I thought the book was going to be about all types of addictions but it mostly focuses on substance abuse (alcohol) the author is good but it was just not for me. To be fair the book may have covered more but I could not finish it (it was just not something I needed or wanted to hear).

[Jed · Rating 4 out of 5]

The science in this book is interesting. It covers everything from a Diet Coke addiction to the really scary stuff and helps explain the neuroscience behind it all.

[Annie]

Brief survey of the science and types of addiction, an ever-increasing desire for ever-decreasing pleasure.

[Nick Rolston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this course to be enjoyable, although a bit over my head with some of the topics addressing the biological basis of addiction. The statistics presented were eye-opening, and the range of substances discussed impressive since each lecture focuses on a different drug. I particularly enjoyed the connection between the different brain regions and the chemical discussion of neurotransmitter activity interaction induced by various drugs. Also, some of my prevailing notions about drugs were shattered, such as the fact that heroin/opioids do not actually cause damage to the body, but they induce intense addictions that lead to negligence of eating, hygiene, use of needles, etc. that invariably leads to hugely negative health consequences.

[Mohammad Forouhesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A thorough and comprehensive inquiry into neurobiological aspect of addiction. Each chapter begins with the history and origin of a substance of abuse (narcotics, alcohol ,opioids, nicotine, etc), how it manipulates the brain reward circuit and increases neural activities of dopamine receptors, and concluded with possible treatments based on a verity of approaches, including behavioural approaches like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or chemical approaches like medication and pills that use antagonist neuro transmitters of the abused receptors and how these antagonist neuro transmitters switch them off, or introducing and advocating for/against social treatments like Narcotics Anonymous website. It concluded with two nice chapters on Behavioral Addiction, namely gambling, pornography, vedio games and junk food addiction and how deep down all these behavioral anomalies are neurologically similar to that of substance abuse.

The course methodology, as of the whole branch of neuroscience, is emprical study of brain, with its base assumption that mind is the sum of different parts of the brain, and further we can obtain emprically meaningful observations by deriving experiments based on this assumption. Then infer about that devilishly complex object called human mind.

Highly recommended for outsiders.

[Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Overview of a Demanding Topic

AT A GLANCE:
A brief yet excellent overview of addiction.

CONTENT:
The opening lectures discuss what addiction is with the expected definitions and qualifications involved. We are treated to a few technical points on neuroanatomy and cognition. It then moves to the history of (and challenges behind) many substances and their relations to human life.
This reads mostly like a psychology course textbook and contains a good deal of up-to-date scholarship. While short, it is incredibly focused, and is a tour-de-force representation of Addiction 101.

NARRATOR:
Prof. Polk is engaging and illustrative. His passion shows through; there is evident talent for explaining complex topics in everyday language, and his presentation stays consistent throughout.

OVERALL:
Highly recommended for anyone seeking a basic overview on addiction of various kinds.

[Trung Nguyen Dang · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. The course is highly enlightening, way better than expected from the title. I learned so much from addiction issues, the history of various drugs, and how they work. I learned how difficult it was to give up addictions (I thought it's merely a will power issue) but i learned that the addiction was so strong that the cravings is way more than anything out there like food or sex .. etc.
The most surprising thing is that behavioral addictions such as gambling, or porn, is very similar to the drug-related addictions (The brains behave the same way).

[Colin Jarrett · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my second foray into the great courses and I found this less interesting and informative than my first (Stress and Your Body). The information was well presented and easy to follow, but I did not learn as much about addiction as I would have expected (and I highly doubt I know more than the average Goodreader about it), aside from the medical details themselves, which were somewhat in one ear and out the other anyway. A firm three stars.

[Ralph · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 out of 5
A lot of information about packed into twelve 30 minute sections. I love The Great Courses series and this was no exception. I found listening to a few lessons at a sitting allowed me to digest the information and kept me from zoning out. Recommended.

[Thomas Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it, rids old beliefs on addiction, and fills in the blanks on some new ones.