Love at first glance: Imbalanced processing to gaming and natural rewards in internet gaming disorder

Individuals with Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) exhibit a heightened reward responsiveness to gaming-related rewards, alongside a diminished response to natural rewards. However, the temporal dynamics and neural correlates underlying this imbalanced processing remain unclear.

This electrophysiological study investigated the neural responses associated with reward processing and their relationship to self-reported reward responsiveness. Using an Incentive Delay Task, we compared neural responses to gaming and monetary rewards between 25 IGD participants and 32 recreational game users (RGUs). Self-reported reward responsiveness was assessed with the Behavioral Approach/Inhibition System (BAS/BIS) scales.

The IGD group scored higher on the BAS-responsiveness subscale. Correlation analysis indicated that enhanced BAS-responsiveness was associated with automatic attention (N1) to gaming feedback, but not with feedback monitoring (FRN) or emotional arousal (LPP). No such correlation was found in the monetary condition. Following initial automatic attention, the IGD group demonstrated selective feedback monitoring (FRN) for gaming rewards while neglecting monetary feedback.

Gaming stimuli automatically capture the attention of individuals with IGD, triggering less top-down monitoring of other potential positive feedback. These findings suggest that attentional bias toward game-related stimuli serves as a sensitive biological marker of heightened reward responsiveness in individuals with IGD.