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Structural gray matter differences in Problematic Usage of the Internet: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Jeremy E Solly1,2, Roxanne W Hook3, Jon E Grant4
1Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK. solly.j@doctors.org.uk.
Molecular Psychiatry
|October 13, 2021
Summary
Problematic Usage of the Internet (PUI) is associated with gray matter reductions in key brain regions like the prefrontal cortex. This meta-analysis synthesizes neuroimaging studies, revealing consistent structural changes in individuals with PUI.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Problematic Usage of the Internet (PUI) has been linked to varied structural gray matter changes in individual studies.
- A quantitative synthesis of these findings across studies has been lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify specific gray matter regions with consistent structural changes across neuroimaging studies in individuals with PUI.
- To conduct a meta-analysis of voxel-based morphometry studies investigating PUI.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search of PubMed and PsycINFO was conducted up to October 2021.
- Included were 15 original, cross-sectional comparative studies (355 individuals with PUI, 363 controls) reporting whole-brain analyses and peak coordinates.
- Anatomical Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis was used to identify spatial convergence of gray matter differences.
Main Results:
- Significant spatial convergence of gray matter reductions was identified in the medial/superior frontal gyri, left anterior cingulate cortex/cingulate gyrus, and left middle frontal/precentral gyri.
- These regions are implicated in reward processing and top-down inhibitory control.
- All contributing datasets showed reduced gray matter in individuals with PUI compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Voxel-based morphometric studies reveal consistent gray matter reductions in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex in individuals with PUI.
- These findings highlight the neurobiological underpinnings of PUI related to executive functions.
- Further research is needed to explore variations in gray matter differences across PUI behaviors, mental health comorbidities, and study characteristics.
