Quitting Smoking Starts in the Brain

People looking to quit smoking could benefit from mindfulness, as it's been shown to reduce activity in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) area of the brain in response to smoking-related images.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• Mindfulness training (MT) reduces activity in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) area of the brain; in smokers, the PCC is activated in response to smoking cues

• People who used a mindfulness app had a reduction in self-reported daily cigarette consumption by an average of 11 cigarettes per day, compared to nine cigarettes per day for t…