A First-of-its-kind Brain Study and the Scientific Evidence Behind Alcohol Cravings
The scientific evidence behind this brain study was gathered by Schick Shadel Hospital and the University of Washington. In the study, scans showed reduced craving-related brain activity after chemical-aversion therapy. Functional MRI scans taken before and after treatment showed a significant reduction in craving-related brain activity among 13 subjects. 69% of participating patients reported still being sober 12 months after treatment. Read the full study, The Neurobiological Mechanism of Chemical Aversion Therapy at Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience.
fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) indicates significantly less craving-related activation in the brain after treatment. The different colors highlight changes between pre and post – but have no meaning beyond that.