title: Decreased functional connectivity between ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens in Internet gaming disorder: evidence from resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has become an increasing mental health problem worldwide. Decreased resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) between the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) has been found in substance use and is thought to play an important role in the development of substance addiction. However, rsFC between the VTA and NAcc in a non-substance addiction, such as IGD, has not been assessed previously. The current study aimed to investigate: (1) if individuals with IGD exhibit alterations in VTA-NAcc functional connectivity; and (2) whether VTA-NAcc functional connectivity is associated with subjective Internet craving.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-five male participants with IGD and 24 healthy control (HC) individuals participated in resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Regions of interest (left NAcc, right NAcc and VTA) were selected based on the literature and were defined by placing spheres centered on Talairach Daemon coordinates.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In comparison with HCs, individuals with IGD had significantly decreased rsFC between the VTA and right NAcc. Resting-state functional connectivity strength between the VTA and right NAcc was negatively correlated with self-reported subjective craving for the Internet.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest possible neural functional similarities between individuals with IGD and individuals with substance addictions.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. zhangjintao@bnu.edu.cn.|Center for Collaboration and Innovation in Brain and Learning Sciences, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. zhangjintao@bnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jin-Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. xlxmss@163.com.
authors.forename: Shan-Shan
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: CASA Columbia, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA. sarah.yip@yale.edu.
authors.forename: Sarah W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Yip
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. wanglingjiao0613@126.com.
authors.forename: Ling-Jiao
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. tuwei7119568@163.com.
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Behavioral Science and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Center, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. ycg.yan@gmail.com.|The Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA. ycg.yan@gmail.com.|Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry/NYU Langone Medical Center Child Study Center, New York University, New York, NY, USA. ycg.yan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chao-Gan
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Psychology, School of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. liuluxl@163.com.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. bluein89@aliyun.com.
authors.forename: Ben
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Education, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. denglinyuan@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Lin-Yuan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Adolescent Cyber Psychology and Behavior (CCNU), Ministry of Education, Wuhan, China. liuqinxue@126.com.
authors.forename: Qin-Xue
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Psychology, School of Psychology, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China. fangxy@bnu.edu.cn.|Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China. fangxy@bnu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D066249:Craving / Q000502:physiology; D059907:Functional Neuroimaging; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000503:physiopathology; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012146:Rest / Q000502:physiology*; D017557:Ventral Tegmental Area / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018910:Video Games / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult