Sex addiction may work a lot like drug addiction in the brain -- but that does not necessarily mean that pornography itself is addictive, according to a recent study Forbes reported.

Researchers from the University of Cambridge found that three regions in particular were more active in the brains of the people with compulsive sexual behavior -- the ventral striatum, dorsal anterior cingulate and amygdale. These are regions that are also particularly activated in drug addicts when shown drug stimuli.

The ventral striatum is involved in processing reward and motivation, whilst the dorsal anterior cingulate is implicated in anticipating rewards and drug craving. The amygdala is involved in processing the significance of events and emotions.

Precise estimates are unknown, but previous studies have suggested that as many as one in 25 adults is affected by compulsive sexual behavior, an obsession with sexual thoughts, feelings or behavior which they are unable to control. This can have an impact on a person's personal life and work, leading to significant distress and feelings of shame. Excessive use of pornography is one of the main features identified in many people with compulsive sexual behavior. However, there is currently no formally accepted definition of diagnosing the condition, according to researchers from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom.

"There are clear differences in brain activity between patients who have compulsive sexual behavior and healthy volunteers. These differences mirror those of drug addicts," study author Valerie Voon said in a statement.

For the study, the research team looked at brain activity in nineteen male patients affects by compulsive sexual behavior and compared them to the same number of healthy volunteers. The patients started watching pornography at earlier ages and in higher proportions relative to the healthy volunteers.

The researchers also asked the participants to rate the level of sexual desire that they felt whilst watching the videos, and how much they liked the videos. Drug addicts are thought to be driven to seek their drug because they want -- rather than enjoy -- it. This abnormal process is known as incentive motivation, a compelling theory in addiction disorders.

As anticipated, patients with compulsive sexual behavior showed higher levels of desire towards the sexually explicit videos, but did not necessarily rate them higher on liking scores.

"Whilst these findings are interesting, it's important to note, however, that they could not be used to diagnose the condition. Nor does our research necessarily provide evidence that these individuals are addicted to porn -- or that porn is inherently addictive," Voon said.

She said much more research is required to understand this relationship between compulsive sexual behavior and drug addiction.