Prefrontal cortex

The front part of the brain responsible for reasoning, planning, problem solving, and other higher cognitive functions. This area of the brain is not fully mature until adulthood, even into the mid-20’s; this confers greater vulnerability to drug use on the adolescent brain. Often in addiction, there are brain changes such that the prefrontal cortex is essentially bypassed from decision-making, thus a patient with the disease of addiction truly cannot stop, Some say “the brain is hijacked” in the disease of addiction for this reason.