Frontostriatal circuits, resting state functional connectivity and cognitive control in internet gaming disorder

Abstract

Converging evidence has identified cognitive control deficits in internet gaming disorder (IGD). Recently, mounting evidence had revealed that resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) and structural connectivity of frontostriatal circuits could modulate cognitive control in healthy individuals. Unfortunately, relatively little is known about the thoroughly circuit-level characterization of the frontostriatal pathways (both the dorsal and ventral striatum) during resting-state and their association with cognitive control in IGD. In the current study, the differences of striatum volume and RSFC networks were investigated between 43 young IGD individuals and 44 healthy controls. Meanwhile, cognitive control deficits were assessed by Stroop task performances. The neuroimaging findings were then correlated with the Stroop task behaviors. In IGD subjects, we demonstrated an increased volume of right caudate and nucleus accumbens (NAc) as well as reduced RSFC strength of dorsal prefrontal cortex (DLPFC)-caudate and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)-NAc. NAc volumes were positively correlated with internet addiction test scores in IGD. The caudate volume and DLPFC-caudate RSFC was correlated with the impaired cognitive control (more incongruent errors in Stroop task) in IGD. Consistent with substance use disorder (SUD) findings, we detected striatum volume and frontostriatal circuits RSFC differences between IGD and healthy controls, which provided evidence of some degree of the similarity between IGD and SUD. More importantly, the cognitive control deficits in IGD were correlated with the reduced frontostrital RSFC strength. It is hoped that our results could shed insight on the neurobiological mechanisms of IGD and suggest potential novel therapeutic targets for treatment.

Poor sleep quality and suicide attempt among adults with internet addiction: A nationwide community sample of Korea

“…IA is a risk correlated with suicidal behavior [52–54], and even its limitation observed in the adolescent group was consistent with our findings, which can be explained by decreased cognitive control seen in neuroimaging studies in the IA group [42, 55]. On classifying suicide-related behavior into three different characteristics such as suicidal ideation, plan, and previous attempt, the current study showed that the IA with sleep problem group had more tendency for suicide plan and attempt, while the IA without sleep problem group had more tendency for suicide ideation and plan.…”

Internet Game Overuse Is Associated With an Alteration of Fronto-Striatal Functional Connectivity During Reward Feedback Processing

“…It is one of the brain regions where IGD-associated abnormalities have been widely reported in molecular (46), structural (47, 48), and functional studies (17). For example, young adults with internet addiction exhibit reduced dopamine D2 receptor availability in the bilateral dorsal caudate, and the severity of internet addiction measured by IAT scales is negatively associated with dopamine D2 receptor availability in the left caudate (46).…”

“…For example, young adults with internet addiction exhibit reduced dopamine D2 receptor availability in the bilateral dorsal caudate, and the severity of internet addiction measured by IAT scales is negatively associated with dopamine D2 receptor availability in the left caudate (46). Also, IGD individuals appear to have increased gray matter volume in the caudate, along with impaired cognitive control performance (47). Dong et al (17) have reported reduced caudate activation in individuals with internet addiction during decision making in the context of “continuous” wins, suggesting insufficient attention to previous behavior selections and their outcomes.…”

Real‐time monitoring prefrontal activities during online video game playing by functional near‐infrared spectroscopy

“…Longitudinal studies revealed that weeks to months of video game training altered functional activities, resting‐state functional connectivity and gray matter volumes/cortical thickness of the DLPFC and other brain regions such as the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and striatum . OGA and general internet addiction were frequently reported to be associated with functional and structural abnormalities in the DLPFC, OFC and anterior cingulate, as well as the WM tracts connecting to these regions .…”