AO1 - Brain Neurochemistry

• Brain neurochemistry is an internal explanation for nicotine addiction, it is the repeated activation of the brain's reward pathway
• 1. Nicotine is inhaled and reaches nicotine receptors in the brain in less than 10 seconds
  2. This triggers neurons in the ventral tegmental area to release dopamine
  3. Dopamine travels down a reward pathway called the mesolimbic pathway
  4. Dopamine stimulates the D2 receptors in the nucleus accumbens, which results in feelings of pleasure/euphoria - this motivates the person to want to smoke again
  5. Dopamine then travels down a second reward pathway called the mesocortical pathway
  6. Dopamine stimulates the pre frontal cortex - pay attention to smoking associate with pleasure so it can be repeated