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.
Highlights
IntroductionA recent study reported alarming increases in depressive symptoms, suicide-related outcomes, and suicide rates among United States adolescents and links to increased new media screen time (including social media and electronic devices such as smartphones) (Twenge et al, 2018)
A recent study reported alarming increases in depressive symptoms, suicide-related outcomes, and suicide rates among United States adolescents and links to increased new media screen time (Twenge et al, 2018)
The node centrality of the right amygdala was positively correlated with smartphone dependence. This result is consistent with previous literature in adult users of digital technologies, in particular social media: three MRI studies of social network site (SNS) users all support the key role of amygdala in addictive behavior with regard to social media use
Summary
A recent study reported alarming increases in depressive symptoms, suicide-related outcomes, and suicide rates among United States adolescents and links to increased new media screen time (including social media and electronic devices such as smartphones) (Twenge et al, 2018). While bidirectional causality cannot be excluded, evidence supports the model in which increased screen time leads to increased mental health problems, especially in females (Twenge et al, 2018). One potential mediating link between excessive smartphone use and mental health problems are the sleep problems caused by excessive screen time (Van den Bulck, 2007; Demirci et al, 2015), as sleep has been often causally implicated in depression (Baglioni et al, 2011). The following three diagnostic requirements need to be met and last over a period of at least 12 months to diagnose someone with gaming disorder: the person’s control over gaming is impaired, gaming is strongly preferred over other life interests and daily activities, and the person does not stop gaming even despite negative consequences impairing personal, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of life (WHO, 2018)
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