Dysfunctional information processing during an auditory event-related potential task in individuals with Internet gaming disorder.

D J Kim,S M Park,J-Y Lee,M Park,J S Kwon,H Y Jung,S N Kim,J-S Choi,B K Sohn

doi:10.1038/tp.2015.215

Abstract

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) leading to serious impairments in cognitive, psychological and social functions has gradually been increasing. However, very few studies conducted to date have addressed issues related to the event-related potential (ERP) patterns in IGD. Identifying the neurobiological characteristics of IGD is important to elucidate the pathophysiology of this condition. P300 is a useful ERP component for investigating electrophysiological features of the brain. The aims of the present study were to investigate differences between patients with IGD and healthy controls (HCs), with regard to the P300 component of the ERP during an auditory oddball task, and to examine the relationship of this component to the severity of IGD symptoms in identifying the relevant neurophysiological features of IGD. Twenty-six patients diagnosed with IGD and 23 age-, sex-, education- and intelligence quotient-matched HCs participated in this study. During an auditory oddball task, participants had to respond to the rare, deviant tones presented in a sequence of frequent, standard tones. The IGD group exhibited a significant reduction in response to deviant tones compared with the HC group in the P300 amplitudes at the midline centro-parietal electrode regions. We also found a negative correlation between the severity of IGD and P300 amplitudes. The reduced amplitude of the P300 component in an auditory oddball task may reflect dysfunction in auditory information processing and cognitive capabilities in IGD. These findings suggest that reduced P300 amplitudes may be candidate neurobiological marker for IGD.

Highlights

The increasing popularity of the Internet has led to a growing body of research in various fields related to Internet addiction, gaming addiction and pathological Internet use.[1,2] ExcessiveInternet use or Internet gaming may become out of control and lead to serious impairment in cognitive, psychological and social functioning, and these potential risks of Internet use have been increasingly recognized as significant mental health issues in the international community.[3]
Consistent with our prediction, the amplitude of the P300 component in response to deviant tones was diminished in patients with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) compared with healthy controls (HCs) at the midline centroparietal electrode region
These reductions in the P300 amplitude in the auditory oddball task indicate that patients with IGD suffer from a dysfunction in auditory information processing and cognitive functioning

Summary

Introduction

The increasing popularity of the Internet has led to a growing body of research in various fields related to Internet addiction, gaming addiction and pathological Internet use.[1,2] ExcessiveInternet use or Internet gaming may become out of control and lead to serious impairment in cognitive, psychological and social functioning, and these potential risks of Internet use have been increasingly recognized as significant mental health issues in the international community.[3]. Association (APA) included Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in section 3 (Emerging measures and models) of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5) as a condition for further study.[4] the American Psychiatric. People playing Internet games for a long period of time are repeatedly exposed to visual and auditory events, and this continuous exposure to colorful images and dynamic sounds may cause visual or auditory fatigue and problems in related brain regions.[6,7] recent neuroimaging studies have reported significant changes in brain function and structure associated with IGD.[8,9,10] According to previous research, patients with IGD have reduced regional homogeneity in the superior temporal gyrus at rest.[11,12] The superior temporal gyrus, which contains the primary auditory cortex, is thought be important for integrating auditory and visual information.[13,14,15]

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