Problematic Internet usage: brain imaging findings

During the past two years, there was an increasing number of neuroimaging studies of adolescents and young adults with Internet gaming disorder (IGD). IGD is associated with reduced metabolism in the prefrontal–cingulate cortices and increased brain activity in areas mediating craving, reward, craving, emotions, and sensory–motor processing. IGD severity has been associated with an increased gray matter volume in the default mode network (DMN) and visuospatial attention, reward, and craving. Long-term gaming is associated with changes in areas mediating loss of control and reward, and improvement in attention and visual–motor ability. Studies reported decreased functional connectivity in areas of the brain that mediate cognitive control, emotion, DMN, salience network, goal-directed activity, executive function, motivation, and reward. Treatment studies that use transcranial direct current stimulation and craving behavior intervention merit further study before being used clinically. Further studies with more participants and longer follow-up periods are needed.