Cognitive control and reward/loss processing in Internet gaming disorder: Results from a comparison with recreational Internet game-users
Abstract
Although playing of Internet games may lead to Internet gaming disorder (IGD), most game-users do not develop problems and only a relatively small subset experiences IGD. Game playing may have positive health associations, whereas IGD has been repeatedly associated with negative health measures, and it is thus important to understand differences between individuals with IGD, recreational (non-problematic) game use (RGU) and non-/low-frequency game use (NLFGU). Individuals with IGD have shown differences in neural activations from non-gamers, yet few studies have examined neural differences between individuals with IGD, RGU and NLFGU. Eighteen individuals with IGD, 21 with RGU and 19 with NFLGU performed a color-word Stroop task and a guessing task assessing reward/loss processing. Behavioral and functional imaging data were collected and compared between groups. RGU and NLFGU subjects showed lower Stroop effects as compared with those with IGD. RGU subjects as compared to those with IGD demonstrated less frontal cortical activation brain activation during Stroop performance. During the guessing task, RGU subjects showed greater cortico-striatal activations than IGD subjects during processing of winning outcomes and greater frontal brain during processing of losing outcomes. Findings suggest that RGU as compared with IGD subjects show greater executive control and greater activations of brain regions implicated in motivational processes during reward processing and greater cortical activations during loss processing. These findings suggest neural and behavioral features distinguishing RGU from IGD and mechanisms by which RGU may be motivated to play online games frequently yet avoid developing IGD.
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Many works have found an impairment of inhibitory control in relation to internet addiction (Balconi et al., 2016; Dong, et al. 2017; Jeromin et al., 2016; Jiang et al., 2017; Littel et al., 2012; Tekin et al., 2018; Wang et al., 2017b; Xing, et al., 2014; Yao et al., 2014).
“Muchos trabajos han encontrado una afectación del control inhibitorio en relación con la adicción a internet (Balconi et al., 2016; Dong, et al. 2017; Jeromin et al., 2016; Jiang et al., 2017; Littel et al., 2012; Tekin et al., 2018; Wang et al., 2017b; Xing, et al., 2014; Yao et al., 2014)”
From Adicciones a internet y funciones ejecutivas en estudiantes universitarios: una revisión sistemática (2020) · cites this paper as Dong, et al. 2017
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Adicciones a internet y funciones ejecutivas en estudiantes universitarios: una revisión sistemática
Bernabéu Brotóns, E., Marchena Giráldez, C. A., González Pizzio, A., & Lubrini, G. (2020) · Electronic Journal of Research in Education Psychology · doi:10.25115/ejrep.v18i52.3346 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
- Authors
- Dong, G., Li, H., Wang, L., & Potenza, M. N.
- Affiliations
- Zhejiang Normal University (CN)
- Yale University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Dong, G.
- Potenza, M.N.
- Venue
- European Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2017-07
- Volume
- 44
- Pages
- 30-38
- ISSN
- 0924-9338 (ISSN-L)
- 1778-3585
- OpenAlex
- W2601626401
- Cited by
- 139
- References
- 12
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 4
- FWCI
- 25.92
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- Locations
- European Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science foundation of China (31371023)
- Open Research Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning (CNLYB 1207)
- National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse and the National Center for Responsible Gaming
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- internet gaming disorder, cognitive control, executive function, reward processing, loss processing, Stroop task, frontal cortex activation, online games, motivational processes
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Cognition, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Reward, Neostriatum, Video Games, Internet, Young Adult, Executive Function, Stroop Test
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