Addiction to drugs or alcohol can cause major changes to the brain's circuitry that result in an addict's drug-seeking behavior. However, a new study has found that individuals may be able to reverse these changes with the type of therapy that is offered at addiction treatment centers.

Researchers from Queens University in Australia found that mice that were genetically predisposed to impulsive behavior were able to curb their impulsivity through training and repetition, according to the Kingston Herald. These mice showed more activity in their frontal lobe of their brains, suggesting that behaviors that result from changes in the brain's wiring can be overcome.

Eric Dermot, who took part in the investigation, told the news source that impulsive behavior is one of the leading factors that contribute to addiction. Overcoming this type of mental predisposition may be a key in fighting chemical dependency.
He added that the findings may also extend to the treatment of attention deficit disorder, gambling problems and obsessive compulsive disorders.

Previous studies reported in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences have shown that impulsive behavior is linked to conditioned serotonin responses to pleasurable stimuli.