Machine learning based classification of excessive smartphone users via neuronal cue reactivity

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Excessive Smartphone Use (ESU) poses a significant challenge in contemporary society, yet its recognition as a distinct disorder remains ambiguous. This study aims to address this gap by leveraging functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data and machine learning techniques to classify ESU and non-excessive smartphone users (n-ESU) based on their neural Cue-Reactivity (CR) signatures. By conducting a CR task and analyzing brain activation patterns, we identified spatial similarities between addictive smartphone use and established addictive disorders. Our approach involved employing Support Vector Machines (SVM) for classification, enhanced with feature selection methods such as Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) and Model-based Selection and dimensionality reduction methods such as and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to mitigate the challenges posed by limited dataset size and high dimensionality of fMRI data. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of our classification model, achieving accuracies of up to 79.9 %. Furthermore, we observed region-specific activations contributing significantly to classification accuracy, highlighting the potential biomarkers associated with ESU. External validation on longitudinal data revealed the necessity for larger training datasets to improve model generalizability. Additionally, feature selection techniques proved crucial for optimizing model performance, particularly in datasets with combined information from multiple sources. Our findings underscore the importance of incorporating more data to enhance model stability and generalizability, with implications for advancing the understanding and treatment of ESU and related disorders. Overall, our study demonstrates the promise of machine learning approaches in elucidating neural correlates of ESU and informing targeted interventions for affected individuals.