Have you tried to quit smoking, but continuously fail? The mental toll of quitting for heavy smokers can include withdrawal, headaches, lethargy, and cravings. But a new study shows that certain individuals are better mentally prepared than others to kick the habit. Researchers using functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, studied the brain of a group of 85 smokers who smoke at least ten cigarettes a day. The study found that individuals with more developed and stronger brain connections between the two regions controlling impulsive behavior and reward were more likely to quit smoking for at least ten weeks. Researchers say the key could lie in the area of the brain called the insula. Participants of study that experienced the most activity in the insula reportedly were most successful in quitting smoking. Researchers hope doctors will be able to identify smokers with poor connectivity and recommend treatments that aim to strengthen connectivity between the two brain regions. Leader of the study Joseph McClernon, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Duke University, states that while therapies of quitting smoking are being researched, the findings of the study could aid in finding a target in the brain. McClernon is currently investigating ways to increase connectivity via the insula by asking individuals to remember a time where they effectively resisted temptation.