Dysfunctional default mode network and executive control network in people with Internet gaming disorder: Independent component analysis under a probability discounting task

Abstract

BackgroundThe present study identified the neural mechanism of risky decision-making in Internet gaming disorder (IGD) under a probability discounting task. MethodsIndependent component analysis was used on the functional magnetic resonance imaging data from 19 IGD subjects (22.2±3.08years) and 21 healthy controls (HC, 22.8±3.5years). ResultsFor the behavioral results, IGD subjects prefer the risky to the fixed options and showed shorter reaction time compared to HC. For the imaging results, the IGD subjects showed higher task-related activity in default mode network (DMN) and less engagement in the executive control network (ECN) than HC when making the risky decisions. Also, we found the activities of DMN correlate negatively with the reaction time and the ECN correlate positively with the probability discounting rates. ConclusionsThe results suggest that people with IGD show altered modulation in DMN and deficit in executive control function, which might be the reason for why the IGD subjects continue to play online games despite the potential negative consequences.