Dopamine pathway localized between Venral Tegmentum Area and Nucleus Accumbens seems o be not only a "Reward System", but primarly a strucure responsible for reorientation of our behaviour towards evolutionary benefitial (e.g. reward after succesful reproduction). Our actions are the result of learning process, which is reflected in shaping of our neuronal networks.
Res ipsa loguitur, the brain favors using of these beneficial networks instead of other ones. The structure, deciding how to invest our attenion (and subsequenly our drive) is Anterior Cingulate Cortex. Addiction- Based Learning should, therefore lead to reinforcement of neural pathway between dopamine reward system, anerior cingulate cortex and neural nework in PFC. Such result could explain, why it is so diffucult to replace a source of addiction (e.g. a drug) with another activity- there is a need o re- shape of all these connections. Hence the question, how to do it?
This article may shed some light on the topic- Article Circuitry of self-control and its role in reducing addiction
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