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Internet and Gaming Addiction: A Systematic Literature Review of Neuroimaging Studies
Open accessAbstract
In the past decade, research has accumulated suggesting that excessive Internet use can lead to the development of a behavioral addiction. Internet addiction has been considered as a serious threat to mental health and the excessive use of the Internet has been linked to a variety of negative psychosocial consequences. The aim of this review is to identify all empirical studies to date that used neuroimaging techniques to shed light upon the emerging mental health problem of Internet and gaming addiction from a neuroscientific perspective. Neuroimaging studies offer an advantage over traditional survey and behavioral research because with this method, it is possible to distinguish particular brain areas that are involved in the development and maintenance of addiction. A systematic literature search was conducted, identifying 18 studies. These studies provide compelling evidence for the similarities between different types of addictions, notably substance-related addictions and Internet and gaming addiction, on a variety of levels. On the molecular level, Internet addiction is characterized by an overall reward deficiency that entails decreased dopaminergic activity. On the level of neural circuitry, Internet and gaming addiction led to neuroadaptation and structural changes that occur as a consequence of prolonged increased activity in brain areas associated with addiction. On a behavioral level, Internet and gaming addicts appear to be constricted with regards to their cognitive functioning in various domains. The paper shows that understanding the neuronal correlates associated with the development of Internet and gaming addiction will promote future research and will pave the way for the development of addiction treatment approaches.
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“In addition, the ventral striatum, a key part of the reward system, has been associated with compulsive internet use (Kuss and Griffiths, 2012).”
From The impact of digital technology, social media, and artificial intelligence on cognitive functions: a review (2023) · cites this paper as Kuss and Griffiths, 2012
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“First, and most importantly, excessive use of the internet exhibits the same criteria that mark other substance and behavioral addictions (Andreassen, 2015; Grant & Chamberlain, 2014; Grant et al., 2010; Kuss & Griffiths, 2012; Young, 1998a, 1998b).”
From Ethics of the Attention Economy: The Problem of Social Media Addiction (2021) · cites this paper as Kuss & Griffiths, 2012
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“In addition, symptoms of digital technology and internet addiction can include withdrawal symptoms when the internet is inaccessible (Kuss and Griffiths, 2012).”
From The impact of digital technology, social media, and artificial intelligence on cognitive functions: a review (2023) · cites this paper as Kuss and Griffiths, 2012
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Metadata
- Authors
- Kuss, D. J., & Griffiths, M. D.
- Affiliations
- Nottingham Trent University (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Kuss, Daria J.
- Venue
- Brain Sciences
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2012-09-05
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 347-374
- ISSN
- 2076-3425 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC4061797
- OpenAlex
- W2086766205
- Cited by
- 437
- References
- 113
- Citations by year
- 2026: 37 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 43 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 31 · 2020: 46 · 2019: 31 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 37 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 32 · 2014: 21 · 2013: 12
- FWCI
- 11.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Brain Sciences (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Nottingham Trent University's Institutional Repository (Nottingham Trent Repository) (acceptedVersion)
- 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, gaming addiction, behavioral addiction, neuroimaging, dopaminergic activity, neural adaptation, brain structural changes, cognitive function, addiction treatment
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