Structural and Functional Brain Abnormalities in Internet Gaming Disorder and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Comparative Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Background: Patients with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have high comorbidity but it is still unknown whether these disorders have shared and distinctive neuroimage alterations.Objective: The aim of this meta-analysis was to identify shared and disorder-specific structural, functional, and multimodal abnormalities between IGD and ADHD.Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted for whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies comparing people with IGD or ADHD with healthy controls. Regional gray matter volume (GMV) and fMRI differences were compared over the patient groups and then a quantitative comparison was performed to find abnormalities (relative to controls) between IGD and ADHD using seed-based d mapping meta-analytic methods.Result: The meta-analysis contained 14 IGD VBM studies (contrasts covering 333 IGDs and 335 HCs), 26 ADHD VBM studies (1,051 patients with ADHD and 887 controls), 30 IGD fMRI studies (603 patients with IGD and 564 controls), and 29 ADHD fMRI studies (878 patients with ADHD and 803 controls). Structurally, VBM analysis showed disorder-specific GMV abnormality in the putamen among IGD subjects and orbitofrontal cortex in ADHD and shared GMV in the prefrontal cortex. Functionally, fMRI analysis discovered that IGD-differentiating increased activation in the precuneus and shared abnormal activation in anterior cingulate cortex, insular, and striatum.Conclusion: IGD and ADHD have shared and special structural and functional alterations. IGD has disorder-differentiating structural alterations in the putamen and ADHD has alterations in the orbitofrontal cortex. Disorder-differentiating fMRI activations were predominantly observed in the precuneus among IGD subjects and shared impairing function connection was in the rewards circuit (including ACC, OFC, and striatum).

ADHD-Gaming Disorder Comorbidity in Children and Adolescents: A Narrative Review

“…A comparative meta-analysis of whole-brain voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies found disorder-specific grey-matter volume (GMV) abnormalities in the putamen in patients with IGD and in the orbitofrontal cortex in those with ADHD, while both conditions shared a lower GMV in the prefrontal cortex [ 37 ]. Functional magnetic resonance-imaging (fMRI) research comparing IGD versus ADHD found that ADHD was associated with a disorder-specific hypoactivation of the left median cingulate cortex (MCC), middle temporal gyrus (MTG), right caudate nucleus, and left middle frontal gyrus [ 37 ]. Alternatively, individuals with IGD were characterized by the activation of the bilateral precuneus/cingulate cortex (CC), right OFC, MTG, left precentral gyrus, bilateral IFG, and right caudate nucleus [ 37 ].…”

“…Functional magnetic resonance-imaging (fMRI) research comparing IGD versus ADHD found that ADHD was associated with a disorder-specific hypoactivation of the left median cingulate cortex (MCC), middle temporal gyrus (MTG), right caudate nucleus, and left middle frontal gyrus [ 37 ]. Alternatively, individuals with IGD were characterized by the activation of the bilateral precuneus/cingulate cortex (CC), right OFC, MTG, left precentral gyrus, bilateral IFG, and right caudate nucleus [ 37 ]. Therefore, the structural and functional alterations in both ADHD and IGD subjects were in the PFC areas, and, more specifically, in those associated with reward, such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC).…”

N-acetylcysteine in the Treatment of Internet Gaming Disorder

“…Alterations in the structure of putamen have been reported in patients with IGD. Functional magnetic resonance imaging analysis has also demonstrated increased activation in the bilateral cingulate cortex, anterior insula, and striatum [ 8 ]. Impaired cognitive control in patients with IGD leading to compulsive gaming behavior may be related to increased striatum volume.…”

Cumulative Family Risk and Internet Gaming Disorder Among Adolescents: A Serial Mediating Model of Personal Growth Initiative and Gratitude

“…Uncontrollable, excessive, and compulsive use of internet games has become an important social problem, which is known as internet gaming disorder (IGD) ( 5 ). Abundant research has demonstrated that IGD has a significant influence on physiological and psychological health ( 6 – 8 ). Due to these serious consequences of IGD, the World Health Organization (WHO) considered it as a clinical disease in the latest version of the International Classification of Diseases ( 9 ).…”