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Nora D. Volkow, Joanna S. Fowler, Gene-Jack Wang
Published in Volume 111, Issue 10
J Clin Invest. 2003; 111(10):1444–1451 doi:10.1172/JCI18533
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Figure 5

Model proposing a network of four circuits involved with addiction: reward, motivation/drive, memory, and control. These circuits work together and change with experience. Each is linked to an important concept: saliency (reward), internal state (motivation/drive), learned associations (memory), and conflict resolution (control). During addiction, the enhanced value of the drug in the reward, motivation, and memory circuits overcomes the inhibitory control exerted by the prefrontal cortex, thereby favoring a positive-feedback loop initiated by the consumption of the drug and perpetuated by the enhanced activation of the motivation/drive and memory circuits.