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Cognitive, functional, and structural brain factors involving frontal executive and striatal reward networks have been implicated in Internet gaming disorder (IGD). However, frontostriatal network connectivity and its association with addiction severity are poorly understood in IGD. Resting-state fMRI data from 337 subjects (130 with IGD, 207 with recreational game use [RGU]) were collected. Striatal-cortical communications were measured with resting-state functional connectivity (FC) using coherent spontaneous fluctuations in the blood-oxygenation-level-dependent fMRI signal. Correlations were calculated between FC measures and IGD-related assessments (addiction severity and craving scores). Decreased FC was predominantly observed in IGD subjects, with IGD subjects showing decreased FC between the putamen and superior frontal gyrus (SFG), middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and the ventral striatum and IFG, superior temporal gyrus, and MFG. Disorder severity and craving scores were negatively correlated with FC between striatal and frontal brain regions. Associations between diminished FC in corticostriatal circuitry and clinical features (IGD craving, severity) suggest potential therapeutic targets for neuromodulation treatments. The extent to which frontostriatal circuits involving executive control over reward processes may be altered to treat IGD warrants additional study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that internet gaming disorder (IGD) has the potential to be a type of addiction; however, direct comparisons (similarities and differences) between IGD and traditional addictions remain scarce, especially at the neuroimaging level. Resting‐state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected from 92 individuals with IGD, 96 individuals with tobacco use disorders (TUDs) and 107 individuals who served as healthy controls (HCs). Independent component analysis (ICA) was performed to explore the similarities and differences among these three groups; Granger causality analysis (GCA) was further performed based on the ICA results to determine potential neural features underlying the differences and similarities among the groups. The ICA results indicated significant differences in the subcortical network and cerebellar network. GCA results found that significant differences in bilateral caudate among three groups, and the efferents of dorsal frontostriatal circuit showed significant differences in insula among three groups, whereas efferents of ventral frontostriatal circuit showed significant differences in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Two kinds of addiction showed differences in thalamus and frontostriatal circuits, and similar changes found in cerebellum and mPFC regions. It suggested that addiction disorders have psychopathology features, and the craving and reward dysfunctions may be the key reasons. Although both substance addiction and behaviour addiction showed craving dysfunction in cerebellum, however, the key reward dysfunction of substance addiction was found in subcortical regions, whereas behaviour addiction located in cortical regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Craving‐related brain responses have been associated with the emergence and maintenance of addictions. However, little is known about brain network organizations underlying cravings in internet gaming disorder (IGD). Methods: Sixty‐six IGD subjects and 61 matched individuals with recreational game use (RGU) were scanned while performing a cue‐craving task. A recently developed whole‐brain analysis approach, connectome‐based predictive modelling (CPM) with leave‐one‐out cross‐validation was conducted to identify networks that predicted craving responses in IGD. Then, the craving network was tested in different brain states (cue‐craving under deprivation) to investigate replicability. Results: CPM identified an IGD craving network, as indicated by a significant correspondence between predicted and actual craving values (r = 0.49, p < 0.001), characterized by within‐network default mode (DMN) connectivity and connectivity between canonical networks implicated in executive/cognitive control (frontoparietal, medial frontal, DMN) and reward responsiveness (subcortical, motor/sensory). Network strength in the cue‐craving task during gaming deprivation also predicted IGD craving scores (r = 0.43, p = 0.017), indicating network replication across brain states. Conclusions: The CPM results demonstrate that individual differences in cognitive, attention, and control network function can predict craving intensities in IGD subjects. These networks may be targets for potential interventions using brain modulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]