Comparative evaluation of the EEG in adolescents with different risk of the Internet addiction living in the Northern and Southern regions

Abstract

Performing comparison of EEG in adolescents living in the Northern and Southern regions and having different risk of Internet-addiction (IA). School adolescents of 16-17 years old, permanently living in the Northern (n=55) and Southern (n=55) regions of the Russian Federation were examined. According to Chen's scale (CIAS) the adolescents living in both regions were divided into 3 groups: group I - with minimal risk of IA; group II - with IA inclination; group III - with formed IA. EEG spectral power (μV2) was evaluated in every spectral band. In the samples of Northern/Southern regions 25.5/38.2% individuals of group I; 63.6/47.3% - of group II; 10.9/14.5% - of group III were revealed. There was a tendency to increase EEG spectral power with increasing IA risk. In both regions the highest θ-band spectral power in the central zones and the left temporal zone were revealed among the representatives of group II (p<0.05-0.01). There were revealed the highest α-band spectral power in the left hemisphere among the representatives of group III (p<0.05), among the representatives of the Southern region the highest β1-band spectral power in the central zones and in the left frontal and left occipital zones was revealed (p<0.05-0.01). Among the representatives of group II and III of the Northern region there were higher EEG spectral power values compare to those of the Southern region's representatives, predominantly in the left and frontal zones (p<0.05-0.01). Thus, variants of adaptive reactions of the brain activity were revealed, which reflect specificity of the IA formation and heterochrony of the EEG pattern formation in adolescents of the Northern region.