The DOI matches its Crossref record; 156 of the 158 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Prefrontal Control and Internet Addiction: A Theoretical Model and Review of Neuropsychological and Neuroimaging Findings
Open accessAbstract
Most people use the Internet as a functional tool to perform their personal goals in everyday-life such as making airline or hotel reservations. However, some individuals suffer from a loss of control over their Internet use resulting in personal distress, symptoms of psychological dependence, and diverse negative consequences. This phenomenon is often referred to as Internet addiction. Only Internet Gaming Disorder has been included in the appendix of the DSM-5, but it has already been argued that Internet addiction could also comprise problematic use of other applications with cybersex, online relations, shopping, and information search being Internet facets at risk for developing an addictive behavior. Neuropsychological investigations have pointed out that certain prefrontal functions in particular executive control functions are related to symptoms of Internet addiction, which is in line with recent theoretical models on the development and maintenance of the addictive use of the Internet. Control processes are particularly reduced when individuals with Internet addiction are confronted with Internet-related cues representing their first choice use. For example, processing Internet-related cues interferes with working memory performance and decision making. Consistent with this, results from functional neuroimaging and other neuropsychological studies demonstrate that cue-reactivity, craving, and decision making are important concepts for understanding Internet addiction. The findings on reductions in executive control are consistent with other behavioral addictions, such as pathological gambling. They also emphasize the classification of the phenomenon as an addiction, because there are also several similarities with findings in substance dependency. The neuropsychological and neuroimaging results have important clinical impact, as one therapy goal should enhance control over the Internet use by modifying specific cognitions and Internet use expectancies.
Overview
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.
Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
The source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“Second, functional neuroimaging studies have shown that the same areas of the brain that are active in other substance and behavioral addictions are active in the brains of those who meet the diagnostic criteria for internet addiction (Brand, Young, & Laier, 2014; Han, Bolo, Daniels, Arenella, Lyoo, & Renshaw, 2011; Holden, 2001; Ko et al., 2009; Ko, Liu, Yen, Yen, Chen, & Lin, 2013; Kuss & Grif”
From Ethics of the Attention Economy: The Problem of Social Media Addiction (2021) · cites this paper as Brand, Young, & Laier, 2014
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“The neurobiological similarities between substance addiction and compulsive social media usage are striking, particularly in terms of prefrontal cortex (PFC) dysfunction, which is critical for impulse control and decision-making [32, 33].”
From The Impact of Social Media & Technology on Child and Adolescent Mental Health (2025) · cites this paper as [32]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Williams, J. B. W., & First, M. B. (2013) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.104 · Cited by 109,845
Internet Addiction: The Emergence of a New Clinical Disorder
YOUNG, K. S. (1998) · CyberPsychology & Behavior · doi:10.1089/cpb.1998.1.237 · Cited by 5,513 · cited 4×
“…see patients suffering from severe negative consequences due to an overuse of the Internet in general or certain Internet applications, the terminology used for this phenomenon and its classification are still under debate (Young, 1998b, 1999; Charlton and Danforth, 2007; Starcevic, 2013).”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialSelf-citationDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition
(2013) · American Psychiatric Association Publishing eBooks · doi:10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596.893619 · Cited by 4,407
Functional architecture of basal ganglia circuits: neural substrates of parallel processing
Alexander, G. E., & Crutcher, M. D. (1990) · Trends in Neurosciences · doi:10.1016/0166-2236(90)90107-l · Cited by 4,131 · cited 4×
“…(via the thalamus) and the limbic loop connecting limbic structures, such as the amygdala, and structures that are linked to motivational aspects of behavior, such as the nucleus accumbens, with the orbitofrontal and ventromedial part of the prefrontal brain area (Alexander and Crutcher, 1990).”
BackgroundInfluentialNeural systems of reinforcement for drug addiction: from actions to habits to compulsion
Everitt, B. J., & Robbins, T. W. (2005) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nn1579 · Cited by 3,785 · cited 6×
“They are consistent with neurobiological and psychological models of addition (Robinson and Berridge,2003; Everitt and Robbins,2006) and with neuropsychological and neuroimaging findings in substance dependency and other forms of behavioral additions (Grant et al., 2006; van Holst et al., 2010).”
BackgroundInfluentialConflict monitoring and anterior cingulate cortex: an update
Botvinick, M. M., Cohen, J. D., & Carter, C. S. (2004) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2004.10.003 · Cited by 3,623 · cited 2×
“All authors are accountable for all aspects of the work.”
BackgroundBardo, M. T., & Hammer, R. P. (1991) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/0306-4522(91)90226-e · Cited by 3,229
A “components” model of addiction within a biopsychosocial framework
Griffiths, M. (2005) · Journal of Substance Use · doi:10.1080/14659890500114359 · Cited by 3,088 · cited 2×
“…parallels between Internet addiction and other so-called behavioral addictions (e.g., Grant et al., 2013) and substance dependency (see also Griffiths, 2005; Meerkerk et al., 2009), which we will summarize in Sections “Neuropsychological Correlates of Internet Addiction” and “Neuroimaging…”
BackgroundResultA cognitive-behavioral model of pathological Internet use
Davis, R. A. (2001) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/s0747-5632(00)00041-8 · Cited by 3,010 · cited 5×
“Davis (2001) introduced a theoretical cognitive–behavioral model on pathological or problematic Internet use and differentiates between a generalized pathological Internet use, which we call generalized Internet addiction (GIA), and a specific pathological Internet use, for which we use the term…”
BackgroundResultInfluentialMotivations for Play in Online Games
Yee, N. (2006) · CyberPsychology & Behavior · doi:10.1089/cpb.2006.9.772 · Cited by 2,939 · cited 1×
“This has already been shown, for example for cybersex addiction (Brand et al., 2011; Laier et al., 2013a) and is most likely also a mechanism for online gaming (e.g., Tychsen et al., 2006; Yee, 2006).”
Background
Flagged first, then by citations
2 of the 158 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.
Research works printed but not linked: 2
- 2008, Executive Function and the Frontal Lobes: A Life Span Perspective
- Young, 1999, Internet addiction: symptoms, evaluation, and treatment, Innov. Clin. Pract., 17, 19
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Items 301–400 of 566
New Concepts, Old Known Issues
Pontes, H. M., & Griffiths, M. D. (2016) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-0778-9.ch040 · Cited by 9
MULTICAGE CAD-4: Psychometric characteristics for the screening of addictive behaviors
Rodríguez-Monje, M. T., Pérez, E. J. P., Rodríguez-Monje, M. T., Alonso, E. R., Alonso, E. R., Girón, M. F., Girón, M. F., Mateo-Madurga, A., Mateo-Madurga, A., Cañedo-Argüelles, C. A., et al. (2018) · Anales de Psicología · doi:10.6018/analesps.35.1.324311 · Cited by 9
Wei, M., Luo, X., Fu, J., Dong, Y.-S., Liu, J., Liu, J., & Dong, G.-H. (2025) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2025.04.012 · Cited by 9
Treatment of Internet Addiction
Shen, L. (2017) · Advances in human and social aspects of technology book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-3477-8.ch015 · Cited by 8
What Makes AI Addictive? The Role of Discounting, Risk Aversion and Self-regulation
Murimi, R. M. (2023) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-981-99-2233-8_32 · Cited by 10
Merga, M. K., & Williams, R. (2016) · Asia-Pacific Journal of Health Sport and Physical Education · doi:10.1080/18377122.2016.1196114 · Cited by 9
Wang, J., & Huang, Y. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.988435 · Cited by 8
“These cortical and subcortical brain regions are also main correlates of substance addiction and other behavioral addictions (52).”
BackgroundRozgonjuk, D., Montag, C., & Elhai, J. D. (2022) · Studies in neuroscience, psychology and behavioral economics · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-04772-5_4 · Cited by 9
Addiction and Entertainment Products
Griffiths, M. D., & Pontes, H. M. (2015) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-4560-52-8_10-1 · Cited by 8
Montiel, I., & Agustina, J. R. (2019) · Revista Española de Pedagogía · doi:10.22550/rep77-2-2019-03 · Cited by 10
Miao, T.-C., Gu, C., Liu, S., & Zhou, Z. (2020) · Behaviour and Information Technology · doi:10.1080/0144929x.2020.1831074 · Cited by 12
“The theoretical model of functional Internet use by Brand, Young, and Laier (2014) posits that individuals use the Internet to meet their needs and achieve speci fi c goals, which culminates in personalised perceptions and positive experiences.”
BackgroundRetractedAltered local intrinsic neural activity and molecular architecture in internet use disorders
Ma, L., Tao, Q., Dang, J., Sun, J., Niu, X., Zhang, M., Kang, Y., Wang, W., Cheng, J., Han, S., et al. (2024) · Brain Research Bulletin · doi:10.1016/j.brainresbull.2024.111052 · Cited by 7
“Moreover, two essential features of IGD are inhibitory control and cognitive deficits (Brand et al., 2014).”
BackgroundHuang, S., Ma, Z., & Fan, F. (2025) · Addictive Behaviors · doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2025.108356 · Cited by 9
Cheng, X., Fan, Y., Li, S., Li, X., Jin, S., Zhou, C., & Feng, Y. H. (2025) · Digital Health · doi:10.1177/20552076251336940 · Cited by 7
“40,41 Additionally, the rise in publications related to speci fi c internet-use disorders, such as IGD, emphasizes the necessity for tailored interventions that address the unique aspects of different types of internet addiction.”
Liu, T., Xia, Y., & Ma, Z. (2025) · Psychiatric Quarterly · doi:10.1007/s11126-025-10196-w · Cited by 6
“Moreover, while these three activities were not significantly increased during the pandemic, it should be noted that issues related to misinformation may catalyze the denaturation of these online activities [68, 69].”
Kim, J., Lee, D., Lee, S., Kim, E., & Oh, S.-E. (2023) · Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking · doi:10.1089/cyber.2022.0101 · Cited by 7
Impulsivity in the context of pornography use and compulsive sexual behavior
Testa, G., Mestre‐Bach, G., Montejo, A. L., & Actis, C. C. (2024) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-443-13437-1.00007-0 · Cited by 7
Sipahi, H., KARTAL, E., Gökkılıç, B., Demir, H. T., YOLDAŞ, S., YABAR, S., Özge, M. A. Y., ÖZDEMİR, A. E., SARIGÜL, M., & OĞUZ, V. T. (2019) · Ege Tıp Dergisi · doi:10.19161/etd.664769 · Cited by 7
“İB‟nin iş ve arkadaş ilişkilerine, akademik kariyere aile yaşamına olumsuz etkileri olabilmektedir (6), ayrıca nöronal anormalliklerle ve kognitif disfonksiyonla olan ilişkisi gösterilmiştir (7,8).”
Xu, H., Sheng, J., Wu, X., Zhan, K., Tao, S., Wen, X., Liu, W., Cudjoe, O., & Tao, F. (2021) · Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety · doi:10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112171 · Cited by 7
Aslan, K. S. Ü., & Edanur, T. A. R. (2021) · Journal of Basic and Clinical Health Sciences · doi:10.30621/jbachs.901840 · Cited by 7
“79 indicating that internet addiction of adolescent females is accompanied by depression, anxiety, negative self-evaluation and other mental disorders (44-48).”
BackgroundYang, J., Bai, W., Guo, T., Zhang, L., Li, Y., Liu, H., Du, X., Cai, H. X., Balbuena, L., An, F., et al. (2022) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2022.06.067 · Cited by 7
Nikmat, A. W., Yusof, N. F. M., & Suddin, L. S. (2022) · IIUM Medical Journal Malaysia · doi:10.31436/imjm.v21i3.1904 · Cited by 7
Internet Addiction In Adolescents – An Overview
Sharma, P. N., & Sousa, A. D. (2016) · Indian Journal of Mental Health(IJMH) · doi:10.30877/ijmh.3.4.2016.394-404 · Cited by 7
Loneliness and Problematic Internet Use Among Young Adults
Mohan, A., & Ravindran, S. K. (2020) · International Journal of Cyber Behavior Psychology and Learning · doi:10.4018/ijcbpl.2020040102 · Cited by 8
Behind the screens: Proposing a mentalization-based theoretical model of problematic Internet use
Chatterjee, D., & Rai, R. (2023) · Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace · doi:10.5817/cp2023-5-6 · Cited by 3
Aktürk, İ., Karaman, H., & Yaman, Ö. M. (2024) · Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi · doi:10.16953/deusosbil.1378685 · Cited by 8
The brain digitalization: it's all happening so fast!
Boulos, L. (2024) · Frontiers in Human Dynamics · doi:10.3389/fhumd.2024.1475438 · Cited by 9
Fu, J., Xu, X., Dong, Y.-S., Wang, M., Zhou, Z., Hu, Y., Li, Q., Liu, S., He, W., & Dong, G. (2025) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/j.jad.2025.02.026 · Cited by 6
Yang, X., Wang, Y., Tang, S., Li, L., & Wang, J. (2025) · Journal of Behavioral Addictions · doi:10.1556/2006.2025.00030 · Cited by 7
“Additionally, during pornog-raphy-induced sexual arousal, PPU individuals demonstrate de fi cits in executive functions, resulting in poorer decision-making (Laier, Pawlikowski, & Brand, 2014) and reduced working memory performance (Sinke et al., 2020).”
Internet Addiction Among Turkish Adults: The Role of Motives for Internet Use
Kaya, F., Rosell, J., Odacı, H., Verges, A. J., & Türkkan, T. (2025) · Psychological Reports · doi:10.1177/00332941251340331 · Cited by 7
Which factor ımpacts medical traumatic stress for pediatric patients: Scoping review
Özbay, S. Ç., Semerci, R., Kudubeş, A. A., Sarıkahya, S. D., & Boztepe, H. (2025) · Journal of Pediatric Nursing · doi:10.1016/j.pedn.2025.09.001 · Cited by 6
The Biopsychosocial Impact of Abusive Use of Digital Media
Martins, G. D. G., Caricati, V. V., BARBUGLI, B. C., Ribeiro, C. M. D. S., Lobato, F. B. H., Scatena, A., Lessa, R. T., de MICHELI, D., & Andrade, A. L. M. (2021) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-62855-0_33 · Cited by 6
Neural Mechanisms of the Reward System and the Cognitive Control System in Internet Addicts
Dossi, N., & Pesce, R. C. (2023) · Science Insights · doi:10.15354/si.23.re255 · Cited by 6
Yavuz, O., & Erden, S. (2021) · Journal of Dependence · doi:10.51982/bagimli.969479 · Cited by 6
Digital Media and the Developing Brain
Chiu, M. Y., & Chein, J. M. (2022) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108976237.008 · Cited by 6
Zhang, W., Zhu, W., Nie, J., Andrasik, F., & Blom, X. N. (2022) · Cyberpsychology Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace · doi:10.5817/cp2022-4-8 · Cited by 6
“Interestingly that the percentage of inclusive words used among PIUs was higher than that among control group, providing evidence about poor cognitive ability of PIUs (Brand et al., 2014).”
BackgroundDigital Dependence in Organizations: Impacts on the Physical and Mental Health of Employees
Gonçalves, L. L., Nardi, A. E., & King, A. L. S. (2023) · Clinical Practice and Epidemiology in Mental Health · doi:10.2174/17450179-v19-e230109-2022-17 · Cited by 6
Firoozabadi, A., Razavian, Y., Saleh, S., & Hosseini, S. R. (2023) · Applied Neuropsychology Adult · doi:10.1080/23279095.2023.2224478 · Cited by 6
“Neuropsychological studies suggest that internet-related cues interfere with prefrontal cortex control processes (Brand et al., 2014), for this reason, future research should also combine cognitive function assessment with internet-related stimuli.”
Silva, H. R. D. S. E., Areco, K. C. N., Bandiera‐Paiva, P., Galvão, P. V. M., Garcia, A. N. D. M., & da Silveira, D. X. (2017) · Jornal Brasileiro de Psiquiatria · doi:10.1590/0047-2085000000146 · Cited by 7
Salvati, A., Sesso, G., Lenzi, F., Masi, G., & Berloffa, S. (2024) · Current Pharmaceutical Design · doi:10.2174/0113816128281014240124074845 · Cited by 5
Mao, Z., Huang, J., Zhang, M., Zhang, M. L., Zhao, C., Liu, Z., & Xing, X. (2025) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2025.115558 · Cited by 6
Exercise Addiction: A Systematic Review of Neuroimaging Evidence
Pirwani, N., & Szabó, A. (2025) · Current Addiction Reports · doi:10.1007/s40429-025-00693-0 · Cited by 5
“The anterior cingulate cortex showed higher activation in response to exercise-related stimuli [ 5], consistent with patterns observed in other behavioral addictions where the ACC is involved in cue reactivity and emotional processing [ 31]. neural features and behavioral outcomes.”
InfluentialLei, Y., Xu, J., & Ma, Y. (2025) · Clinical Psychology Review · doi:10.1016/j.cpr.2025.102684 · Cited by 6
Yang, B., Zhou, Z., Chen, Y., Devakonda, V., Cai, T., Lee, T., & Qu, Y. (2024) · Journal of Research on Adolescence · doi:10.1111/jora.12949 · Cited by 6
Yu, Y., Zhang, C., Wan, J., Zhang, Y., Ji, L., & Chen, C. (2024) · Addictive Behaviors · doi:10.1016/j.addbeh.2024.108213 · Cited by 5
Alavinikoo, S., Pirmoradi, M., Tajrishi, K. Z., & Arezoomandan, R. (2025) · Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology · doi:10.1080/13803395.2025.2480139 · Cited by 5
“These brain changes may reflect reduced inhibitory control and impaired executive function (Brand et al., 2014).”
Executive Dysfunctions Associated with the Use of Information Technology
Rosselli, M., & Christopher, D. M. (2019) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-25077-5_9 · Cited by 6
Salahuddin, S., & Muazzam, A. (2019) · Clinical and Counselling Psychology Review · doi:10.32350/ccpr.12.01 · Cited by 5
Topbaş, Z. S., & Karakay, A. (2021) · Journal of Dependence · doi:10.51982/bagimli.895161 · Cited by 5
Cognitive functioning and social networking sites addiction – a review
Cudo, A., Misiuro, A., Kopiś-Posiej, N., Jaśkiewicz, M., & Misiuro, T. (2022) · Psychiatria Polska · doi:10.12740/pp/133147 · Cited by 35
Research on factors affecting the smartphone addiction of college students based on the GIA
Lim, Y.-S., Lee, Y.-J., & Han, S.-J. (2016) · Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society · doi:10.5762/kais.2016.17.5.56 · Cited by 5
“Brand, Young & Laier [17]는 기본 가정을 포함한 GIA 모델을 조작화 하여 사용하였는데 이 모델은 일상생활에서 주관적 불만 이나 다양한 성격특성이 인터넷 중독과 상관관계가 있음 을 보여주고 중독치료를 위한 대처전략의 중재역할과 치 료 및 강화할 인지기능들을 밝히는데 역할을 하고 있다.”
InfluentialSetting the minimum age of criminal responsibility for cybercrime
Balajanov, E. (2017) · International Review of Law Computers & Technology · doi:10.1080/13600869.2018.1417764 · Cited by 5
An introduction to gaming and IGD
King, D. L., & Delfabbro, P. (2018) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-812924-1.00001-0 · Cited by 5
Internet Addiction and Anxiety Among Greek Adolescents: An Online Survey
Yfanti, T., Zygouris, N. C., Chondropoulos, I., & Stamoulis, G. I. (2019) · Advances in intelligent systems and computing · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-11932-4_75 · Cited by 5
Harren, N., Walburg, V., & Chabrol, H. (2021) · Computers in Human Behavior Reports · doi:10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100096 · Cited by 5
Pontes, H. M., Satel, J., & McDowall, A. (2022) · Studies in neuroscience, psychology and behavioral economics · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-04772-5_5 · Cited by 5
Internet Shopping from a Psychiatric Perspective
Müller, A., & Mitchell, J. E. (2014) · Psychiatric Annals · doi:10.3928/00485713-20140806-06 · Cited by 5
Reizreaktivität und Craving bei Verhaltenssüchten mit Fokus auf Internetnutzungsstörungen
Wegmann, E., & Brand, M. (2018) · Verhaltenstherapie · doi:10.1159/000493918 · Cited by 5
“Ausgehend von den lernpsychologischen Theorien von Robinson und Berridge [1993, 2001, 2008] auf [Brand et al., 2014; Griffiths, 2012; Kuss und Griffiths, 2011, 2012; Young et al., 1999; Zander et al., 2016].”
BackgroundSelf-citationAssessing Behavioral Patterns for Online Gaming Addiction
Misra, R., Singh, S., & Singh, N. (2020) · International Journal of Cyber Behavior Psychology and Learning · doi:10.4018/ijcbpl.2020040104 · Cited by 5
Becker, B., & Montag, C. (2017) · Studies in neuroscience, psychology and behavioral economics · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-46276-9_18 · Cited by 5
Resisting Edutainment: How Reward Deficiency Syndrome Fuels the Student Attention Crisis
Dunne, G. (2025) · Studies in Philosophy and Education · doi:10.1007/s11217-025-10022-7 · Cited by 6
Huțul, T., Huțul, A., Karner‐Huțuleac, A., Holman, A. C., & Grubbs, J. B. (2026) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-026-03493-3 · Cited by 5
“…studies have consistently demonstrated that impulsivity represents a vulnerability factor for a broad range of addictive and maladaptive behaviors (Brand et al., 2014; Lee et al., 2019; Verdejo-García et al., 2008), including sub-stance-related and behavioral addictions (Anestis et al., 2007;…”
Su, J., Wang, Z., Qiang, Z., & Wang, Z. (2026) · Journal of Intelligence · doi:10.3390/jintelligence14080182 · Cited by 9
“To organize these hypotheses within a single explanatory structure, the study adopts the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, a leading account of how problematic technology-use patterns develop and are maintained (Brand et al., 2014).”
Wang, J., & Li, H. (2024) · Archives of Sexual Behavior · doi:10.1007/s10508-024-02965-8 · Cited by 9
“This may result from a combined effect of enhanced implicit cognitions (such as attentional biases, cue-reactivity, and craving) towards addictive stimuli, coupled with reduced recruitment of the prefrontal cortex (Brand et al., 2014).”
Kowalik, B. A., Baggio, S., King, D. L., & Delfabbro, P. (2025) · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction · doi:10.1007/s11469-025-01483-5 · Cited by 4
“Neuro-imaging research indicates that dysfunctional cognitive control can explain compulsive gaming behaviour (Luijten et al., 2015), which is exacerbated by exposure to gam-ing-related cues (Brand et al., 2014).”
Nomofobia: uma revisão integrativa sobre o transtorno da modenidade
Morilla, J. L., Vieira, G. C., Dantas, C. N., Cassago, R. M., Pucci, S. H. M., & Gobbi, D. R. (2020) · Revista de Saúde Coletiva da UEFS · doi:10.13102/rscdauefs.v10i1.6153 · Cited by 10
Błachnio, A., Przepiórka, A., Gorbaniuk, O., McNeill, M., Bendayan, R., Durak, M., Şenol-Durak, E., Ben‐Ezra, M., Benvenuti, M., Angeluci, A. C. B., et al. (2022) · Frontiers research topics · doi:10.3389/978-2-88974-249-3 · Cited by 4
Mennig, M., Kessler, A., Stein, T., Tennie, S., Rief, W., & Barke, A. (2023) · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction · doi:10.1007/s11469-022-00960-5 · Cited by 8
“…that engaging in Internet activities satisfies their needs or motives, they may form expectations regarding future fulfilment of these motives by using the Internet again, e.g., “I use the Internet … to gain positive emotions.” or “… to distract from problems” (Brand et al., 2014a, p. 5).”
InfluentialGupta, N. (2023) · Journal of Applied Sciences and Clinical Practice · doi:10.4103/jascp.jascp_40_22 · Cited by 6
Sadıç, Ç. Ç., Kara, A., Gerçek, H. G., & Özkan, Y. (2024) · Education and Information Technologies · doi:10.1007/s10639-024-12703-1 · Cited by 5
“In a 2014 study, it was suggested that PIU could lead to atrophy of the prefrontal cortex and cognitive dysfunction (Brand et al., 2014).”
Wang, H., Liu, H., Zhou, L., Bi, X., Tao, J., Jiang, Y., & Zhang, R. (2024) · Perspectives In Psychiatric Care · doi:10.1155/2024/7334182 · Cited by 4
Li, X., & Li, H. (2024) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0313362 · Cited by 4
“The latter, specific problematic smartphone/internet use, involves excessive engagement with particular online activities such as social media, gaming, or gambling, and has been linked to poor health outcomes [5– 8].”
ADHS und Mediensucht bei Kindern und Jugendlichen
Barth, G., & Renner, T. (2015) · SUCHT - Zeitschrift für Wissenschaft und Praxis / Journal of Addiction Research and Practice · doi:10.1024/0939-5911.a000385 · Cited by 5
İnternet Bağımlılığı İçin Kolaylaştırıcı Bir Faktör Olarak Sanal Dünyada Etik Duyarlılık Azalması
Yıldız, A. (2017) · Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry · doi:10.18863/pgy.310777 · Cited by 4
The role of social media support as public health intervention strategy in Indonesia
Januraga, P. P. (2017) · Public Health and Preventive Medicine Archive · doi:10.15562/phpma.v5i1.32 · Cited by 4
Value computation and modulation: A neuroeconomic theory of self-control as constrained optimization
Brocas, I., & Carrillo, J. D. (2021) · Journal of Economic Theory · doi:10.1016/j.jet.2021.105366 · Cited by 4
Olivella-Cirici, M., Sánchez, E., Continente, X., Clotas, C., & Pérez, G. (2021) · Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science · doi:10.1007/s41347-021-00228-0 · Cited by 5
“This use is associated with an excessive release of dopamine in the mesolimbic system, causing disinhibition in the user and, consequently, more compulsive use (Brand et al., 2014).”
BackgroundAddiction and Entertainment Products
Griffiths, M. D., & Pontes, H. M. (2016) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-981-4560-50-4_10 · Cited by 4
Wang, J., Chen, Y., & Zhang, H. (2022) · Frontiers in Human Neuroscience · doi:10.3389/fnhum.2022.897536 · Cited by 4
Li, H., Meng, J., Sun, J., Feng, J., Qiu, L., & Yan, J. (2023) · Asian Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.ajp.2023.103682 · Cited by 4
The Human Connection Drug: Should Addiction to Social Media Be Legislated Out?
Hoanca, B. (2020) · IEEE Technology and Society Magazine · doi:10.1109/mts.2020.2967494 · Cited by 6
“Preliminary results indicate changes in the brains of those affected, involving both grey and white matter, along with changes in the dopaminergic system in the brain [4].”
BackgroundSmyth, S. J., Curran, K., & McKelvey, N. (2017) · Advances in human and social aspects of technology book series · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-3477-8.ch002 · Cited by 4
“However certain individuals experience an inability to control their Internet use resulting in distressful symptoms of psychological dependence (Brand et al. 2014).”
BackgroundMa, X., Wei, M., Ni, H., Li, S., Wang, H., Liu, C., Song, X., & Dong, G. (2024) · Mindfulness · doi:10.1007/s12671-024-02480-w · Cited by 3
“For example, altered brain activations have been observed in executive control–related brain regions (Dong et al., 2017a), including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and orbitofrontal cortex (Brand et al., 2014; Zheng et al., 2019).”
The interplay between social media use, poor sleep, and disordered eating: a narrative review
Cerolini, S., Nowicki, G. P., & Rodgers, R. F. (2025) · Cogent Mental Health · doi:10.1080/28324765.2025.2594799 · Cited by 4
“Regarding neural pathways, dopamine–rich brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex are implicated in reward processing and executive functioning, and may link problematic social media use, disordered eating, and poor sleep (Brand et al., 2014).”
Balconi, M. (2021) · Advances in mental health and addiction · doi:10.1007/978-3-030-82408-2_1 · Cited by 4
Agrawal, M., Rajaram, S., & Kumar, G. R. (2021) · Basic and Clinical Neuroscience Journal · doi:10.32598/bcn.2021.3295.2 · Cited by 3
Mukherjee, C., & Banerjee, U. (2022) · Mind and Society · doi:10.56011/mind-mri-112-202210 · Cited by 3
Amani, M. (2023) · addiction and health · doi:10.34172/ahj.2023.1344 · Cited by 3
Yüce, A. E. (2024) · Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry · doi:10.18863/pgy.1433144 · Cited by 3
Luo, X., Wang, H., Xu, X., Wei, M., Ni, H., Li, S., Liu, C., Song, X., Potenza, M. N., & Dong, G. (2025) · PNAS Nexus · doi:10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf277 · Cited by 3
“Altered brain responses in executive-control-related frontal brain regions, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and or - bitofrontal cortex, have been implicated in IGD (7, 8).”
Diagnostik und Therapie der Internetabhängigkeit
Wildt, B. T. T. (2017) · PSYCH up2date · doi:10.1055/s-0042-119321 · Cited by 3
“Ein aktuelles Modell von Kimberly Young und Matthias Brand veranschaulicht, wie sich bestimmte kognitive Stile im Sinne von dysfunktionalen Internetnutzungserwartungen als auslösende und aufrechterhaltende Faktoren erweisen [7].”
BackgroundShin, Y.-M., & Hwan, P. K. (2018) · Locality and Globality Korean Journal of Social Sciences · doi:10.33071/ssricb.42.1.201804.223 · Cited by 3
Joshi, H., & Sondhi, N. (2022) · Behaviour and Information Technology · doi:10.1080/0144929x.2022.2148559 · Cited by 3
“Later, new constructs were de fi ned and included in subsequent models (Brand, Young, and Laier 2014; Dong and Potenza 2014; Brand et al. 2016).”
BackgroundInfluentialMorningness-Eveningness and Problematic Online Activities
Rigó, A., Tóth‐Király, I., Mägi, A., Eisinger, A., Griffiths, M. D., & Demetrovics, Z. (2023) · International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction · doi:10.1007/s11469-023-01017-x · Cited by 5
“…POG and PSMU refer to overuse/problematic use in a specific activity domain of the Internet, PIU refers to individuals’ more general online overuse (Brand et al., 2014; Davis, 2001) that is not captured by either POG or PSMU due to their specificity, warranting the scientific investigation of all…”
Internet addiction induced critical fusion frequency among young adults
Aswathappa, J. (2023) · Bioinformation · doi:10.6026/97320630019816 · Cited by 3
Addiction Beyond Substances—What's Up with the DSM?
Hajela, R., & Love, T. (2017) · Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity The Journal of Treatment and Prevention · doi:10.1080/10720162.2017.1306468 · Cited by 3
Does mild internet use augment cognitive functions?: Preliminary evidence
Sharma, M., Archana, R., Kumar, J. K., & Marimuthu, P. (2019) · Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care · doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_488_19 · Cited by 3
“These included decision‐making deficits, reductions in prefrontal control and other executive functioning, and inability to inhibit responses to certain stimuli[17] Individuals with pathological internet use had dysfunction in response inhibition[18] However, the errors were higher in neuropsychological tests among in…”
BackgroundResultTreatment of Internet Addiction
Shen, L. (2019) · IGI Global eBooks · doi:10.4018/978-1-5225-8900-6.ch038 · Cited by 3
Problematic Internet use in adolescent psychosocial and physiological development
Krishna, S. N., Venkataramanan, V., & McNerney, M. W. (2022) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-818872-9.00070-4 · Cited by 3
Carbonell, X., Panova, T., & Carmona, A. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.957163 · Cited by 5
Metadata
- Authors
- Brand, M., Young, K. S., & Laier, C.
- Affiliations
- Erwin L. Hahn Institute for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (DE)
- St. Bonaventure University (US)
- University of Duisburg-Essen (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Brand, Matthias
- Venue
- Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2014-05-27
- Volume
- 8
- Pages
- 375-375
- ISSN
- 1662-5161 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4034340
- OpenAlex
- W2111982163
- Cited by
- 565
- References
- 158
- Citations by year
- 2026: 42 · 2025: 50 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 50 · 2022: 62 · 2021: 58 · 2020: 33 · 2019: 49 · 2018: 43 · 2017: 44 · 2016: 38 · 2015: 43 · 2014: 9
- FWCI
- 14.74
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DuEPublico (University of Duisburg-Essen) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Gambling Behavior and Treatments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- internet addiction, prefrontal control, executive function, cue reactivity, craving, decision-making, working memory, behavioral addiction, gambling addiction, internet gaming disorder, DSM-5, online shopping addiction, cybersex addiction
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
