Insula Cortex: The highlighted part of the brain is responsible for a range of things such as pain, empathy, and social emotions. Other recent research has linked this part of the brain with cigarette addiction, showing that individuals with damage to this part of the brain were able to give up cigarettes instantly. Maybe similar damage would cure shopping addiction?Courtesy Sanjay SharmaDo you prefer paying for things with cash or credit card? It seems fairly common sense that paying with a credit card, instead of cash, makes it easier to overspend. Paying with a plastic card, which looks and feels the same no matter how much you spend on it, creates a lot less immediate guilt than paying with cash. Interestingly enough, scientists have pinpointed the part of the brain that is responsible for this phenomenon, called the insula. Also, the way in which you spend (i.e. overspending to combat sadness, buying luxury items just because they're on sale, etc.) is controlled by this part of the brain. Click here for the full article in Newsweek.