Internet addiction and functional brain networks: task-related fMRI study

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Addictions commonly involve altered higher-order brain network function.
• Internet addiction (IA) shows emerging evidence of functional brain network disruption.
• Previous research on IA's neural correlates is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the functional brain network alterations in Internet addiction (IA).
• Specifically examining the default mode network (DMN) and inhibitory control network (ICN) in relation to IA.
• To correlate functional brain activity with the severity of problematic internet use.

Main Methods:

• Used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure task-related brain responses.
• Employed verbal and non-verbal Stroop-like tasks to assess cognitive control.
• Assessed IA severity using the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire (PIUQ) in 60 university students.

Main Results:

• Found significant deactivations in DMN areas (precuneus, posterior cingulate gyrus), negatively correlated with PIUQ scores during incongruent stimuli.
• Observed positive correlations between PIUQ scores and activity in ICN areas (left inferior frontal gyrus, frontal pole, insula, etc.) during the Stroop task's incongruent minus congruent contrast.
• Identified specific brain regions within the DMN and ICN associated with problematic internet use.

Conclusions:

• Altered DMN function in IA may relate to comorbid symptoms and treatment outcomes.
• Dysfunctional ICN in IA could underlie difficulties in controlling excessive internet use.
• These findings highlight specific network disruptions associated with Internet addiction.