Cognitive control and reward/loss processing in Internet gaming disorder: Results from a comparison with recreational Internet game-users

Abstract

Although playing of Internet games may lead to Internet gaming disorder (IGD), most game-users do not develop problems and only a relatively small subset experiences IGD. Game playing may have positive health associations, whereas IGD has been repeatedly associated with negative health measures, and it is thus important to understand differences between individuals with IGD, recreational (non-problematic) game use (RGU) and non-/low-frequency game use (NLFGU). Individuals with IGD have shown differences in neural activations from non-gamers, yet few studies have examined neural differences between individuals with IGD, RGU and NLFGU. Eighteen individuals with IGD, 21 with RGU and 19 with NFLGU performed a color-word Stroop task and a guessing task assessing reward/loss processing. Behavioral and functional imaging data were collected and compared between groups. RGU and NLFGU subjects showed lower Stroop effects as compared with those with IGD. RGU subjects as compared to those with IGD demonstrated less frontal cortical activation brain activation during Stroop performance. During the guessing task, RGU subjects showed greater cortico-striatal activations than IGD subjects during processing of winning outcomes and greater frontal brain during processing of losing outcomes. Findings suggest that RGU as compared with IGD subjects show greater executive control and greater activations of brain regions implicated in motivational processes during reward processing and greater cortical activations during loss processing. These findings suggest neural and behavioral features distinguishing RGU from IGD and mechanisms by which RGU may be motivated to play online games frequently yet avoid developing IGD.

Cognitive deficits in problematic internet use: meta-analysis of 40 studies

“…Studies did not generally report symptom duration, so the current analysis cannot evaluate the extent to which cognitive problems may pre-date symptoms (perhaps reflecting vulnerability) as opposed to arising because of chronic engagement with internet-related activities. A longitudinal (3-months) exposure of smartphone-naive young adults to heavy smartphone use found it resulted in performance decrease in arithmetic accuracy and increase in concern for appropriateness (a measure of tendencies 26 Dong et al (2010) 27 Kim et al (2017) 28 Ko et al (2014) 29 Littel et al (2012) 30 Liu et al (2004) 31 Luijten et al (2015) 32 Metcalf & Pammer (2014) 33 Sun et al (2009) 34 Yao et al (2015) 35 Zhou et al (2010) 36 Zhou et al (2016) 37 Zhou et al (2014) 38 Chamberlain et al (2017) 20 Choi et al (2013) 39 Choi et al (2014) 40 Li et al (2016) 41 Lim et al (2016) 42 Choi et al (2014) 44 Dong et al (2011) 45 Dong et al (2014) 46 Dong et al (2013) 47 Dong et al (2013) 48 Dong et al (2017) 49 Dong et al (2013) 50 Dong et al (2012) 51 Lim et al (2016) 42 Luijen et al (2015) 32 Wang et al (2015) 52 Xing et al (2014) 53 Yao et al (2015) 35 Yuan et al (2016) 54 Yuan et al (2016) 55 Chammberlain et al (2017) 20 Lorenz et al (2012) 56 Metcalf & Pammer (2014) 33 Pawlikowski & Brand (2011) 57 Qi et al (2015) 58 Sun et al (2009)…”

Video Game Addiction and Emotional States: Possible Confusion Between Pleasure and Happiness?

“…Yet, a growing number of studies have been produced in this field in the last two decades (Andreassen et al, 2016). Indeed, several research projects have been exploring VG addiction from a behavioral, emotional, brain circuits and genetic perspectives (Griffiths et al, 2012;Dong et al, 2017).…”

Altered Brain Activities Associated with Craving and Cue Reactivity in People with Internet Gaming Disorder: Evidence from the Comparison with Recreational Internet Game Users

“…In addition, it has been noted that IGD subjects are associated with failures in controlling the desire for playing online games (Lin et al, 2015a). Numerous imaging studies have found impaired executive control ability in IGD subjects (Dong and Zhou, 2010; Dong et al, 2010, 2011b, 2012a, 2014b, 2015, 2017b; Dong and Potenza, 2014; Weinstein and Lejoyeux, 2015; Wang L. et al, 2016a,b; Wang Y. et al, 2016b; Weinstein et al, 2017), yet, the direct evidence for the impaired executive control ability in inhibiting craving for game-playing in the context of online gaming cues are still lacking (Ko et al, 2008, 2013; Han et al, 2010; Sun et al, 2012). Thus, the present study filled in the gap.…”