February 10, 2011 - A new study at University of Michigan suggests that brain scans may be able to predict success in smoking cessation. Researchers found that neural reactions accurately predict behavioral change upon exposure to pro-health messages. The study was funded by the National Institutes for Health and the National Science Foundation. Twenty-eight heavy smokers enrolled in an anti-smoking program completed a self-assessment and went through a functional magnetic resonance imaging while watching anti-smoking television ads. After each ad, the participants rated their own intention to quit. A month after the scan, participants reported smoking an average of five cigarettes a day, compared with an average of 21 a day at the start of the study (carbon monoxide) levels were consistent with these self-reports. The results showed that neural activity in a specific region of the brain significantly linked to reductions in smoking behavior. The study is forthcoming in Health Psychology, a peer-reviewed journal.

For more information, please see: http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/02/01/brain-scans-may-predict-success-of-smoking-cessation/23074.html