Addiction to opioids is now officially a national emergency. But why are addiction rates spiking and what can we do about it? Neuroscientist Rachel Wurzman shares new research about how the brain reacts to opioids, replacing the sense of community and belonging human beings are losing. We are beginning to understand that solving the opioid epidemic will require us to focus on social factors surrounding those addicted. Dr. Rachel Wurzman is a Fellow with the Center for Neuroscience and Society, and a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Neurology with the Laboratory for Cognition and Neural Stimulation at the University of Pennsylvania.

Rachel also currently serves as Director of Science on the Board of Directors for SeekHealing, a non-profit whose mission is to reduce addiction relapse cycles. Rachel is the author of over 20 peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters on various topics
in developmental, cognitive, and systems neuroscience, neuroethics, and science policy.

Previously, Rachel served as an Intern in the Science Division of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office
of the President of the United States, a Neuroscience Scholar Program Fellow with the Society for Neuroscience, and a Researcher
in Residence in the Neuroethics Studies Program of the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics at Georgetown University. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx