Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Drug Dependence01:17

Drug Dependence

Medications are typically administered to achieve therapeutic effects. Some drugs can modify an individual's mood and perception, frequently resulting in various enjoyable experiences. However, this can result in drug dependency, a condition marked by continuous drug use despite potential negative consequences. Drug dependency primarily falls into two categories: psychological and physical dependence. Psychological dependence occurs when the pleasurable feelings induced by the drug...
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena01:15

Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena

Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not necessarily...
CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine01:27

CNS Depressants: Alcohol and Nicotine

Ethanol, a clear colorless alcohol, has been consumed by humans for millennia, but its effects on the body are far from benign. At lower doses, it induces decreased inhibitions and loquaciousness, leading to its social appeal. However, it can cause severe consequences at higher doses, such as coma and respiratory depression, due to its zero-order elimination kinetics. Chronic ethanol abuse wreaks havoc on multiple organ systems, particularly the CNS and the liver. Abrupt cessation of ethanol...
Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep01:24

Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep

Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Stimulants01:29

Stimulants

Stimulants are substances that enhance neural activity and elevate dopamine levels in the brain, leading to their highly addictive nature. These drugs include cocaine, amphetamines, MDMA, caffeine, and nicotine, each with distinct mechanisms of action and varied health implications.
Cocaine can be administered via snorting, injection, or smoking. It primarily functions by blocking the reuptake of dopamine, resulting in a euphoric high characterized by an intense sensation of happiness and...
Depressants01:28

Depressants

Depressant drugs, including alcohol and sedative-hypnotics, diminish central nervous system activity by enhancing the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter that reduces brain activity and promotes relaxation. These substances can have various therapeutic uses but also pose significant risks, especially when misused or combined.
Alcohol is a common depressant that can induce a sense of relaxation and reduced inhibition at low doses. Contrary to its occasional...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Understanding adverse childhood experiences within the first decade of the ABCD study: A systematic review.

Developmental cognitive neuroscience·2026
Same author

Prenatal Substance Exposure and Birth Weight: Findings From the HEALthy Brain and Child Development Study.

Pediatrics·2026
Same author

Attention problems and cortical maturation in a large longitudinal sample of youths: The importance of accounting for sex differences.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Model-based analysis of stop-signal data reveals robust neural and clinical correlates of evidence accumulation but not inhibition.

Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·2026
Same author

Network and receptor architectures shape brain morphometry in addiction.

medRxiv : the preprint server for health sciences·2026
Same author

Bullying victimization and brain development: a longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging study from adolescence to early adulthood.

Translational psychiatry·2026
Same journal

Neurobiological after-effects and clinical efficacy of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review.

Brain structure & function·2026
Same journal

A conserved pulvinar projection to the amygdala revealed in macaque monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

Brain structure & function·2026
Same journal

Cerebellar pathway diffusion MRI measures are linked to core autism symptoms in early adolescents aged 9 to 11 years.

Brain structure & function·2026
Same journal

The role of the subcortical structures in subthreshold depression: evidence from static and dynamic functional connectivity.

Brain structure & function·2026
Same journal

Auditory conditioned fear elicits anxiety-like behavior and differential neuronal remodeling in the prelimbic and infralimbic cortex of rats.

Brain structure & function·2026
Same journal

Brain structure and function in Homo naledi.

Brain structure & function·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 12, 2026

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats
04:11

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats

Published on: November 6, 2018

Insula and drug cravings.

Hugh Garavan1

  • 1School of Psychology and Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland. Hugh.Garavan@tcd.ie

Brain Structure & Function
|June 1, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The anterior insula plays a key role in drug craving by integrating bodily sensations and subjective feelings. Its activity changes with satiety and cognitive control, influencing craving awareness and avoidance.

More Related Videos

A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats
12:44

A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats

Published on: November 4, 2011

A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder
07:51

A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder

Published on: June 18, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 12, 2026

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats
04:11

A Conditioned Place Preference Protocol for Measuring Incubation of Craving in Rats

Published on: November 6, 2018

A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats
12:44

A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats

Published on: November 4, 2011

A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder
07:51

A Protocol for Measuring Cue Reactivity in a Rat Model of Cocaine Use Disorder

Published on: June 18, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychology
  • Addiction Research

Background:

  • Drug craving is a central component of addiction.
  • The insula, particularly the anterior insula, is implicated in subjective feeling states and interoception.
  • Understanding the insula's role is crucial for developing effective addiction treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the role of the insula in drug craving.
  • To explore the insula's function in interoception and subjective feeling states related to craving.
  • To examine the influence of satiety, cognitive modulation, and awareness on insula-mediated craving.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of neuroimaging and clinical studies.
  • Analysis of evidence linking insular activity to craving states.
  • Examination of cognitive and biological factors influencing insular function in craving.

Main Results:

  • Drug craving is proposed as an instance of the anterior insula's broader role in interoception.
  • Insular activity correlates with satiety and the cognitive modulation of cravings.
  • Awareness of internal and external cues, mediated by the insula, is important for craving avoidance.

Conclusions:

  • The anterior insula is a critical hub for processing interoceptive signals that contribute to drug craving.
  • Cognitive control and awareness of cues, involving the insula, are key modulators of craving.
  • Further research into sex differences and developmental aspects of insula function in craving is warranted.