Genetic-linked Inattentiveness Protects Individuals from Internet Overuse: A Genetic Study of Internet Overuse Evaluating Hypotheses Based on Addiction, Inattention, Novelty-seeking and Harm-avoidance

Abstract

The all-pervasive Internet has created serious problems, such as Internet overuse, which has triggered considerable debate over its relationship with addiction. To further explore its genetic susceptibilities and alternative explanations for Internet overuse, we proposed and evaluated four hypotheses, each based on existing knowledge of the biological bases of addiction, inattention, novelty-seeking, and harm-avoidance. Four genetic loci including DRD4 VNTR, DRD2 Taq1A, COMT Val158Met and 5-HTTLPR length polymorphisms were screened from seventy-three individuals. Our results showed that the DRD4 4R/4R individuals scored significantly higher than the 2R or 7R carriers in Internet Addiction Test (IAT). The 5-HTTLPR short/short males scored significantly higher in IAT than the long variant carriers. Bayesian analysis showed the most compatible hypothesis with the observed genetic results was based on attention (69.8%), whereas hypotheses based harm-avoidance (21.6%), novelty-seeking (7.8%) and addiction (0.9%) received little support. Our study suggests that carriers of alleles (DRD4 2R and 7R, 5-HTTLPR long) associated with inattentiveness are more likely to experience disrupted patterns and reduced durations of Internet use, protecting them from Internet overuse. Furthermore, our study suggests that Internet overuse should be categorized differently from addiction due to the lack of shared genetic contributions.

Associations Among Internet Addiction, Genetic Polymorphisms, Family Functioning, and Psychopathological Risk: Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study

“…Specifically, we found no association between the 5-HTTPR polymorphism and IA. Previous studies [ 36 , 41 ] have reported that the S/S genotype HTTLPR increased the risk of IA. Similarly, our study indicated a higher percentage of the S/S genotype in the IA group than in the control group, but there was no significant difference.…”

“…This gene has a polymorphic 48-base pair VNTR in exon 3, and the most frequent polymorphisms are 4 (4R), 7 (7R), and 2 (2R) repeats [ 33 ]. Previous studies have underlined significant associations between the DRD4 4R genotype with increased attentiveness [ 34 , 35 ] that, in turn, has been associated with a higher risk of IA [ 36 ]. Besides the role played by dopamine, it has been evidenced that serotonin may also be implicated in IA.…”

“…The serotonin-transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) is crucial for the fine regulation of 5-HT [ 39 ]. This functional polymorphism results in 2 common alleles, the short (S) and the long (L) [ 40 ], and studies by Sun et al [ 36 ] and Lee et al [ 41 ] have reported significant association between IA and the S/S genotype. Other studies involving allelic variants in monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) activity have provided further support for the role played by serotonin and dopamine, given that this gene encodes an enzyme involved in the degradation of DA and 5-HT.…”

“…We hypothesized the presence of the following: (1) significant associations between IA and genetic polymorphisms in MAO-A (ie, MAOA-H genotype), 5-HTTPR (ie, S/S genotype), DRD4 (ie, 4R/4R genotype), and DAT1 (ie, 9-repeat genotype) genes, based on previous studies that have underlined the key role of these genes in the biochemistry of addiction disorder [ 45 , 72 , 73 ], including IA [ 36 , 41 , 74 , 75 ]; (2) significant differences in the quality of family functioning of young adults and psychological profiles (ie, depression and anxiety problems, avoidant personality problems) between youths with IA and the control group, as suggested by previous studies that have shown significant association between IA both with a poor quality of family functioning [ 49 , 50 ] and with psychopathological symptoms, especially in the areas of depression and anxiety symptoms [ 76 , 77 ] and traits of avoidant personality disorder [ 78 ]; (3) a mediation role played by the psychological profile of young adults on the relationship between family functioning and IA, based on studies that have shown a predictive effect of the quality of family functioning on the psychopathological profile of young adults [ 57 , 58 ] that, in turn, has been suggested to be a significant predictor of IA [ 70 ]; and (4) the moderator role played by MAO-A, 5-HTTPR, DRD4, and DAT1 genotypes on the relationship between family functioning and IA, as suggested by recent evidence that has underlined that individual genotype play an important role in moderating individual sensitivity to environmental events [ 79 , 80 ] and to the development of psychopathology related to addiction [ 48 ].…”

Neuropsychiatric factor and polymorphism gene in internet addiction

“…The findings of the other study demonstrated that the overall use of the Internet is greatly affected by one's ability to sustain attention. Carriers of the alleles associated with decreased attentiveness (DRD4 2R and 7R, 5-HTTLPR long) are protected from Internet overuse (Sun & Spathis, 2016).…”