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Neural Correlates of Smartphone Dependence in Adolescents

Neural Correlates of Smartphone Dependence in Adolescents

Authors :
Olga Tymofiyeva
Justin P. Yuan
Roma Kidambi
Chiung-Yu Huang
Eva Henje
Mark L. Rubinstein
Namasvi Jariwala
Jeffrey E. Max
Tony T. Yang
Duan Xu
Source :
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, Vol 14 (2020)
Publication Year :
2020
Publisher :
Frontiers Media S.A., 2020.

Abstract

Increases in depressive and suicide-related symptoms among United States adolescents have been recently linked to increased use of smartphones. Understanding of the brain mechanisms that underlie the potential smartphone dependence may help develop interventions to address this important problem. In this exploratory study, we investigated the neural mechanisms underlying potential smartphone dependence in a sample of 19 adolescent volunteers who completed self-assessments of their smartphone dependence, depressive symptoms, and sleep problems. All 19 adolescents underwent diffusion MRI that allowed for assessment of white matter structural connectivity within the framework of connectomics. Based on previous literature on the neurobiology of addiction, we hypothesized a disruption of network centrality of three nodes in the mesolimbic network: Nucleus Accumbens, anterior cingulate cortex, and amygdala. Our results showed positive correlations between the node centrality of the right amygdala and self-reported smartphone dependence, between smartphone dependence and sleep problems, and between sleep problems and depressive symptoms. A higher phone dependence was observed in females compared to males. Supported by these results, we propose a model of how smartphone dependence can be linked to aberrations in brain networks, sex, sleep disturbances, and depression in adolescents.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
16625161
Volume :
14
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.6239fb8d42984fd893ad43f3a4a5c9bc
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2020.564629