Queen helps kicks the habit

The Queen: enough to make you give up

Looking at pictures of the Queen could be the unlikely key to quitting smoking, scientists have revealed.

A new study has found that when we look at certain images our brain seems to ignore cravings.

The discovery could be a breakthrough for those trying to give up smoking and those addicted to other drugs.

The study was carried out by Dr Jon May at the University of Sheffield. He said: "It seems that when the visual parts of the brain are stimulated, it somehow affects our ability to remember things.

"When we have cravings, we search our brain for visual clues, and think about how much we want a cigarette and what it would look and feel like. If the brain is thinking about another image, it seems it can't process the craving."

Researchers believe that if they can work out how best to stimulate the memory areas of the brain, getting rid of a craving for a cigarette could be as simple as looking at a picture.

Initial studies have found that by showing smokers images of the Queen and of landmarks such as Big Ben, cravings almost immediately disappeared.

"We need to do more work on exactly how long the craving is kept at bay for, but we are confident it isn't the case that when you stop looking at the Queen, you immediately go back to wanting a cigarette," said Dr May.

The researchers are also developing a hand-held computer programme using a series of flashing dots they believe also blocks the craving.

Dr May said: "It looks rather like an out-of-tune TV, with flashing dots, and it seems to be extremely effective. It might be that we can get people to simply whip this out of their pocket when they fancy a cigarette."

Dots on the picture flash on and off about 1,000 times per second. However, the researchers were keen to stress they could not cause any long-term damage to users.

"All we are doing is occupying the brain with something else, we are in no way making changes to the brain to inhibiting people's imagination," Dr May told the British Association's Festival of Science in Manchester.

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