Altered dynamic interactions within frontostriatal circuits reflect disturbed craving processing in internet gaming...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Computational Psychiatry

Background:

• Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is characterized by impaired executive control and reward-seeking behaviors.
• The precise frontostriatal circuit interactions underlying IGD remain unclear.
• Understanding these neural mechanisms is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal interactions within frontostriatal circuits in individuals with IGD.
• To identify specific neural pathways associated with IGD severity.
• To explore potential targets for therapeutic interventions in IGD.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state fMRI data from 317 participants (148 IGD, 169 RGUs) were analyzed.
• Spectral dynamic causal modeling (spDCM) was employed to assess effective connectivity.
• Independent component analysis identified key regions of interest within frontostriatal circuits.

Main Results:

• IGD subjects exhibited inhibitory connectivity from the right orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) to the right caudate and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex to the left OFC.
• Excitatory connectivity was observed from the thalamus to the left OFC in IGD subjects.
• The right OFC to right caudate pathway showed a negative correlation with addiction severity.

Conclusions:

• Disrupted causal interactions in frontostriatal circuits contribute to IGD.
• The right OFC to right caudate pathway is a potential target for neuromodulation in IGD interventions.
• These findings advance our understanding of the neural underpinnings of problematic gaming behavior.