The process of addiction changes the organization of several brain areas, including areas involved in motivation and attention.

Addiction has been linked to changes in the brain's reward system, involving areas such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc). These changes lead to heightened motivation to seek out and use drugs or engage in addictive behaviors. Addiction also affects areas involved in attention and impulse control, such as the prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex. These changes can contribute to the continued use of drugs or engagement in addictive behaviors despite negative consequences.