Voxel-level comparison of arterial spin-labeled perfusion magnetic resonance imaging in adolescents with internet gaming addiction

Abstract

BackgroundAlthough recent studies have clearly demonstrated functional and structural abnormalities in adolescents with internet gaming addiction (IGA), less is known about how IGA affects perfusion in the human brain. We used pseudocontinuous arterial spin-labeling (ASL) perfusion functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the effects of IGA on resting brain functions by comparing resting cerebral blood flow in adolescents with IGA and normal subjects.MethodsFifteen adolescents with IGA and 18 matched normal adolescents underwent structural and perfusion fMRI in the resting state. Direct subtraction, voxel-wise general linear modeling was performed to compare resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) between the 2 groups. Correlations were calculated between the mean CBF value in all clusters that survived AlphaSim correction and the Chen Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS) scores, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) scores, or hours of Internet use per week (hours) in the 15 subjects with IGA.ResultsCompared with control subjects, adolescents with IGA showed significantly higher global CBF in the left inferior temporal lobe/fusiform gyrus, left parahippocampal gyrus/amygdala, right medial frontal lobe/anterior cingulate cortex, left insula, right insula, right middle temporal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, left supplementary motor area, left cingulate gyrus, and right inferior parietal lobe. Lower CBF was found in the left middle temporal gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, and right cingulate gyrus. There were no significant correlations between mean CBF values in all clusters that survived AlphaSim correction and CIAS or BIS-11 scores or hours of Internet use per week.ConclusionsIn this study, we used ASL perfusion fMRI and noninvasively quantified resting CBF to demonstrate that IGA alters the CBF distribution in the adolescent brain. The results support the hypothesis that IGA is a behavioral addiction that may share similar neurobiological abnormalities with other addictive disorders.

Resting-state regional homogeneity as a biological marker for patients with Internet gaming disorder: A comparison with patients with alcohol use disorder and healthy controls

“…The ACC is thought to be an important area with respect to craving. Feng et al (2013) proposed that the increased cerebral blood flow during the resting-state in the IGD group reflects increased craving for gaming. Excessive Internet use may alter metabolism of the brain, and then influence on internal motivation system including ACC during the resting-state.…”

How Has Internet Addiction Research Evolved Since the Advent of Internet Gaming Disorder? An Overview of Cyberaddictions from a Psychological Perspective

“…These reports summarize cue reactivity, craving, and decision-making as key concepts in IA, and neuroimaging-such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), especially functional MRI and proton magnetic resonance-provides evidence revealing functional and structural abnormalities in the brain. Furthermore, the same brain reactions in IA are found in substance addiction and pathologic gambling [86,87].…”

Internet Gaming Disorder

“…Dysregulation of dopamine D2 receptors was observed in the striatum and was correlated with the number of years spent in excessive online gaming [56]. In Feng et al [57], however, an IGD group had greater-than-normal CBF in the left inferior temporal lobe, left parahippocampal gyrus/ amygdala, right medial frontal lobe/anterior cingulate, bilateral insula, right middle temporal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, left supplementary motor area, left cingulate, and right inferior parietal lobe. However, CBF was lower than normal in the left middle temporal gyrus, left middle occipital gyrus, and right cingulate gyrus.…”