Valium-like drugs use the same potentially addictive "reward pathways" in the brain as heroin and cannabis, according to new research.
Researchers found that so-called benzodiazepine drugs, such as Ativan, Xanax and Valium, exert a calming effect by boosting action of a neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the same way as addictive drugs like opioids and cannabinoids.