The effect of reward learning on inhibitory control in internet gaming disorder: Evidence from behavioral and ERP

Reward dysregulation and deficits in inhibitory control significantly contribute to the development of internet gaming disorder (IGD). While prior research demonstrates that reward history influences individuals' inhibitory control, it remains unclear whether this effect extends to individuals with IGD. The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether individuals with IGD exhibit impairments in reward learning and whether prior reward learning influences their inhibitory control, using both behavioral and event-related potential (ERP) measures. This study first employed a probability selection task to examine potential impairments in reward learning among individuals with IGD. Next, a stop-signal task incorporating reward- and punishment-associated stimuli was used to further investigate the behavioral and electroencephalographic effects of prior reward learning on subsequent inhibitory control. Results revealed that during the reward-learning phase, the IGD group exhibited significantly longer response times than the control group in both the learning and transfer phases. Additionally, the feedback-related negativity amplitude in the IGD group was significantly lower than that in the control group. Conversely, the P3 wave amplitude induced by positive and negative feedback in the IGD group were significantly higher than in the control group. In the inhibitory control phase following reward learning, the Nogo-P3 wave amplitude in response to reward cues was significantly greater in the IGD group than in the control group. Moreover, within the IGD group, the Nogo-P3 wave amplitude evoked by reward cues was significantly larger than the amplitude evoked by loss cues. These findings suggest that reward learning is impaired in individuals with IGD and that stimuli with a prior reward history may compromise inhibitory control, potentially serving as a critical factor in addiction development in this population.