Substance Abuse And The Brain - It's a gray matter

****** Most people know that substance abuse over a long period of time can cause changes to the brain. But does it work the other way? New research suggests that when it comes to figuring out which came first—brain differences or substance abuse—it’s more of a chicken or egg scenario. People who act impulsively and seek a lot of stimulation might have differences in their brain structure and those differences could put them at a higher risk for substance abuse, , according to a new study by the Society of Neuroscience. This finding is especially important when considering the fact that as of 2009, about 23.5 million people in the US needed treatment for a substance abuse problem, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. ...