title: An fMRI study of cognitive control in problem gamers.
abstract: A small proportion of video game players develop uncontrolled gaming behavior. A dysfunctional cognitive control circuit may explain this excessive behavior. Therefore, the current study investigated whether problem gamers are characterized by deficits in various aspects of cognitive control (inhibitory control, error processing, attentional control) by measuring brain activation using functional magnetic resonance imaging during Go-NoGo and Stroop task performance. In addition, both impulsivity and attentional control were measured using self-reports. Participants comprised 18 problem gamers who were compared with 16 matched casual gaming controls. Results indicate significantly increased self-reported impulsivity levels and decreased inhibitory control accompanied by reduced brain activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and right inferior parietal lobe (IPL) in problem gamers relative to controls. Significant hypoactivation in the left IFG in problem gamers was also observed during Stroop task performance, but groups did not differ on behavioral and self-reported measures of attentional control. No evidence was found for reduced error processing in problem gamers. In conclusion, the current study provides evidence for reduced inhibitory control in problem gamers, while attentional control and error processing were mostly intact. These findings implicate that reduced inhibitory control and elevated impulsivity may constitute a neurocognitive weakness in problem gamers.
authors: Institute of Psychology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC - University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Behavioral Science Institute, Radboud University Nijmegen, P.O. Box 9104, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: m.luijten@bsi.ru.nl.
authors: Maartje
authors: M
authors: Luijten
authors: IVO Addiction Research Institute, Heemraadssingel 194, 3021 DM Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Erasmus MC - University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Gert-Jan
authors: GJ
authors: Meerkerk
authors: Institute of Psychology, Erasmus University Rotterdam, P.O. Box 1738, 3000 DR Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Ingmar H A
authors: IH
authors: Franken
authors: Bouman Mental Health Care, P.O. Box 8549, 3009 AM Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Ben J M
authors: BJ
authors: van de Wetering
authors: IVO Addiction Research Institute, Heemraadssingel 194, 3021 DM Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Erasmus MC - University Medical Center Rotterdam, P.O. Box 2040, 3000 CA Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Tim M
authors: TM
authors: Schoenmakers
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000502:physiology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000378:metabolism; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D057566:Self Report; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attentional control; Cognitive control; Error processing; Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); Gaming; Inhibitory control