Differentiation between young adult Internet addicts, smokers, and healthy controls by the interaction between impulsivity and temporal lobe thickness

Abstract

Background and aims: Internet addiction is a non-substance-related addiction disorder with progressively growing prevalence. Internet addiction, like substance-related addictions, has been linked with high impulsivity, low inhibitory control, and poor decision-making abilities. Cortical thickness measurements and trait impulsivity have been shown to have a distinct relationship in addicts compared to healthy controls. Thus, we test whether the cortical correlates of trait impulsivity are different in Internet addicts and healthy controls, using an impulsive control group (smokers). Methods: Thirty Internet addicts (15 females) and 60 age-and gender-matched controls (30 smokers, all young adults aged 19-28 years) were scanned using a 3T MRI scanner and completed the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. Results: Internet addicts had a thinner left superior temporal cortex than controls. Impulsivity had a significant main effect on the left pars orbitalis and bilateral insula, regardless of group membership. We identified divergent relationships between trait impulsivity and thicknesses of the bilateral middle temporal, right superior temporal, left inferior temporal, and left transverse temporal cortices between Internet addicts and healthy controls. Further analysis with smokers revealed that the left middle temporal and left transverse temporal cortical thickness change might be exclusive to Internet addiction. Discussion: The effects of impulsivity, combined with a long-term exposure to some specific substance or stimuli, might result in different natures of relationships between impulsivity and brain structure when compared to healthy controls. Conclusion: These results may indicate that Internet addiction is similar to substance-related addictions, such that inefficient self-control could result in maladaptive behavior and inability to resist Internet use.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Internet Addiction among Hungarian High School Teachers

“…As there are no clear diagnostic criteria for the internet addiction it is highly recommended to measure excessive internet use with a continuous questionnaire [4]. We chose the problematic internet use questionnaire (PIUQ) because its structure tightly adheres to the proposed diagnostic criteria for internet addiction and was created based on the clinimetric and psychometric analysis of Young's internet addiction test independently validated by several groups and used in our previous published work [14][15][16][17].…”

Internet Addiction and Burnout in A Single Hospital: Is There Any Association?

“…Although this technology has improved many aspects of our lives and it is now an essential part of the everyday routine including work, private life and social functioning, many studies have reported the misuse of the internet (problematic internet use, internet addiction; IA) as summarized in a recent meta-analysis [ 1 ]. The individual suffering from internet addiction may not be aware of it and it remains unrecognized by their relatives, friends and colleagues [ 2 ]. IA may be classified as a compulsive-impulsive spectrum disorder based on symptomatology, but it has been under considerable research, and not included in the recently published 5th edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual DSM-V [ 3 , 4 ].…”

Problematic Relationships with Smartphones of Spanish and Colombian University Students

“…On the other hand, some authors [17,[24][25][26][27] point to factors such as the lack of sleep, hyperactivity, insecurity when driving, anxiety, depression, personality disorders, etc., associated to harmful behaviors such as in the use drugs including heroin, alcohol, cannabis, speed, etc., that although not linked to technologies, have been observed in the population who have a problematic use of mobile phones. Nevertheless, some research studies [28] suggest that there is a common factor among the addictive behaviors in the use of substances and the internet, the impulsivity which is manifested, among other aspects, by low academic performance or low levels of concentration, however, this cannot be extrapolated to an addictive use of the smartphone.…”