
The Positive Role of Brain Plasticity in Addiction Recovery
From destroying brain cells to disrupting neural circuits involved in decision-making and memory, substance use disorders (SUDs) hijack the brain in multiple ways. However, one of the most life-altering changes occurs in the brain’s reward system. Drug exposure increases the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, causing the feeling of reward. These changes in dopamine levels in the brain reward system can lead to increased changes in brain plasticity. The outcome? Neuroplasticity, or the bra