Gaming Increases Craving to Gaming-Related Stimuli in Individuals With Internet Gaming Disorder

Guangheng Dong; Lingxiao Wang; Xiaoxia Du; Marc N Potenza

doi:10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.01.002

Gaming Increases Craving to Gaming-Related Stimuli in Individuals With Internet Gaming Disorder

Biol Psychiatry Cogn Neurosci Neuroimaging. 2017 Jul;2(5):404-412. doi: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.01.002. Epub 2017 Jan 25.

Authors

Guangheng Dong¹, Lingxiao Wang², Xiaoxia Du³, Marc N Potenza⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province; Institute of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province. Electronic address: dongguangheng@zjnu.edu.cn.
² Department of Psychology, Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province.
³ Department of Physics, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance, East China Normal University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
⁴ Department of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Child Study Center, and National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Connecticut Mental Health Center, New Haven, Connecticut.

PMID: 29560926
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2017.01.002

Abstract

Background: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been proposed as a behavioral addiction warranting additional investigation. Craving is considered a core component of addictions. However, few studies to date have investigated craving in IGD. In the current study, we investigated how gaming was associated with changes in response to gaming-related stimuli in subjects with IGD and those with recreational game use (RGU).

Methods: Behavioral and functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 27 individuals with IGD and 43 individuals with RGU. Subjects' craving responses to gaming-related stimuli were measured before and after 30 minutes of gaming.

Results: The comparison between post- and pregaming measures showed that for IGD, gaming was associated with increased craving and increased brain activation of the lateral and prefrontal cortex, the striatum, and the precuneus when exposed to gaming-related stimuli. In individuals with RGU, no enhanced brain activity was observed.

Conclusions: These results suggest that gaming behavior enhances craving responses in subjects with IGD but not in subjects with RGU, provide insight into potential mechanisms underlying IGD, and suggest behavioral and neurobiological targets for IGD-related interventions.

Keywords: Craving; Internet gaming disorder; Prefrontal cortex; Recreational gaming use; Striatum; fMRI.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Adult
Behavior, Addictive / physiopathology*
Brain / physiopathology*
Brain Mapping / methods
Craving / physiology*
Female
Games, Recreational / psychology
Humans
Internet*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
Male
Video Games / adverse effects*
Young Adult