Compulsive pornography users shows the same brain activity as alcoholics and drug addicts 'Addiction' part of brain flashes when 'porn addicts' viewed x-rated material The results are expected to open up debate on porn as an addiction Regular porn users show the same kind of brain activity as drug addicts and alcoholics, scientists have claimed. In a new study, scans have revealed how the part of the brain which is stimulated when drug users and heavy drinkers indulge in their addiction is also activated when those hooked on porn watch x-rated images and videos. In an alarming set of results, this effect was not present in those who don't use porn regularly. Addict: The Cambridge University study has revealed worrying similarities in the brain activity of porn addicts and those hooked on alcohol and drugs (picture posed by model) The research, carried out by Cambridge University used MRI scans to study the brains of 19 participants who came forward for the experiment, admitting that they had a problem with their porn habit. Speaking in the Sunday Times, Dr Valerie Voon, the principal researcher in the study and a neuropsychiatrist at Cambridge, said: 'We found greater activity in an area of the brain called the ventral striatum, which is a reward centre, involved in processing reward, motivation and pleasure.' According to the study, the same part of the brain is 'lit-up' when drug addicts or alcoholics see a sign that they could be about about to feed their addiction, such as a drug taking partner or an advertisement for booze. A group of people who took part who were not addicted to porn did not show the same signs of stimulation when they were shown similar triggers, or actual porn. Dr Voon said: 'When an alcoholic sees an ad for a drink, their brain will light up in a certain way and they will be stimulated in a certain way. We are seeing this same kind of activity in users of pornography. The Sexual Recovery Institute, an American sex-addiction clinic, said: 'Similar to someone with a chemical or substance addiction, porn addicts tend to replace important relationships and commitments with pornography.' Brain waves: Addicts of substances such as drugs and are stimulated when they see triggers such as a situation where they may be able to feed their addiction. Porn users showed the same kind of brain activity while viewing x-rated material (both pictures posed by models) The study will feature in a Channel 4 documentary 'Porn on the Brain' and is expected to spark debate about the seriousness of porn addiction. The programme, due to be screened at 10pm on Monday night, is presented by Martin Daubney, former editor of the 'lads' mag' Loaded. The journalist, who is known for introducing 'laddism' to the mens' magazine, now considers publications like Loaded to be a gateway to harder porn use. There have, however, been few studies looking at the brain patterns of heavy users of pornography. Dr Voon's study, which is one of few which has looked into the effects of porn addiction on the brain, is yet to be published. Although the researcher says heavy porn users show similarities to drug and alcohol addicts, she believes more research is required before distinctions can be drawn.