What part of the brain is known as the drug reward system?

Answer 1

Brain areas affected by drug abuse include:

The brain stem, which controls basic functions critical to life, such as heart rate, breathing, and sleeping.

The cerebral cortex, which is divided into areas that control specific functions. Different areas process information from our senses, enabling us to see, feel, hear, and taste. The front part of the cortex, the frontal cortex or forebrain, is the thinking center of the brain; it powers our ability to think, plan, solve problems, and make decisions.

The limbic system, which contains the brain's reward circuit. It links together a number of brain structures that control and regulate our ability to feel pleasure.

Answer 2

Feeling pleasure motivates us to repeat behaviors that are critical to our existence. The limbic system is activated by healthy, life-sustaining activities such as eating and socializing—but it is also activated by drugs of abuse. In addition, the limbic system is responsible for our perception of other emotions, both positive and negative, which explains the mood-altering properties of many drugs.

Most drugs of abuse directly or indirectly target the brain’s reward system by flooding the circuit with dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter present in regions of the brain that regulate movement, emotion, motivation, and feelings of pleasure.

Answer 3

The limbic system is the part of the brain that is known as the drug reward system. In drug addicts this part of the brain is physically different to that of a non-addicts.

Answer 4

Mostly the insular cortex, which is inside the cerebral cortex of the brain.

Answer 5

nucleus accumbens