Comparison of brain connectivity between Internet gambling disorder and Internet gaming disorder: A preliminary study (2017)

J Behav Addict. 2017 Oct 17:1-11. doi: 10.1556/2006.6.2017.061.

Bae S1, Han DH2, Jung J3,4, Nam KC5, Renshaw PF6.

Abstract

Background and aims

Given the similarities in clinical symptoms, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is thought to be diagnostically similar to Internet-based gambling disorder (ibGD). However, cognitive enhancement and educational use of Internet gaming suggest that the two disorders derive from different neurobiological mechanisms. The goal of this study was to compare subjects with ibGD to those with IGD.

Methods

Fifteen patients with IGD, 14 patients with ibGD, and 15 healthy control subjects were included in this study. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data for all participants were acquired using a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner (Philips, Eindhoven, The Netherlands). Seed-based analyses, the three brain networks of default mode, cognitive control, and reward circuitry, were performed.

Results

Both IGD and ibGD groups demonstrated decreased functional connectivity (FC) within the default-mode network (DMN) (family-wise error p < .001) compared with healthy control subjects. However, the IGD group demonstrated increased FC within the cognitive network compared with both the ibGD (p < .01) and healthy control groups (p < .01). In contrast, the ibGD group demonstrated increased FC within the reward circuitry compared with both IGD (p < .01) and healthy control subjects (p < .01).

Discussion and conclusions

The IGD and ibGD groups shared the characteristic of decreased FC in the DMN. However, the IGD group demonstrated increased FC within the cognitive network compared with both ibGD and healthy comparison groups.

KEYWORDS: Internet gambling disorder; Internet gaming disorder; functional connectivity; magnetic resonance imaging; resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging

PMID: 29039224

DOI: 10.1556/2006.6.2017.061