Altered default mode, fronto-parietal and salience networks in adolescents with Internet addiction.
Internet addiction (IA) is a condition characterized by loss of control over Internet use, leading to a variety of negative psychosocial consequences. Recent neuroimaging studies have begun to identify IA-related changes in specific brain regions and connections. However, whether and how the interactions within and between the large-scale brain networks are disrupted in individuals with IA remain largely unexplored. Using group independent component analysis, we extracted five intrinsic connectivity networks (ICNs) from the resting-state fMRI data of 26 adolescents with IA and 43 controls, including the anterior and posterior default mode network (DMN), left and right fronto-parietal network (FPN), and salience network (SN). We then examined the possible group differences in the functional connectivity within each ICN and between the ICNs. We found that, compared with controls, IA subjects showed: (1) reduced inter-hemispheric functional connectivity of the right FPN, whereas increased intra-hemispheric functional connectivity of the left FPN; (2) reduced functional connectivity in the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of the anterior DMN; (3) reduced functional connectivity between the SN and anterior DMN. Our findings suggest that IA is associated with imbalanced interactions among the DMN, FPN and SN, which may serve as system-level neural underpinnings for the uncontrollable Internet-using behaviors.
Cognitive and Mental Health Research Center, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China; College of Mechatronics and Automation, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073, China.
Lubin
L
Wang
College of Mechatronics and Automation, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073, China.
Hui
H
Shen
Cognitive and Mental Health Research Center, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China.
Yu
Y
Lei
College of Mechatronics and Automation, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073, China.
Ling-Li
LL
Zeng
The Medical Psychological Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
Fenglin
F
Cao
The Medical Psychological Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China.
Linyan
L
Su
Cognitive and Mental Health Research Center, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China. Electronic address: yangzhengchina@aliyun.com.
Zheng
Z
Yang
The Medical Psychological Institute of the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China. Electronic address: Shuqiaoyao@163.com.
Shuqiao
S
Yao
College of Mechatronics and Automation, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, Hunan 410073, China. Electronic address: dwhu@nudt.edu.cn.
Dewen
D
Hu
D000293:Adolescent; D016739:Behavior, Addictive / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001931:Brain Mapping / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*
Default mode network; Fronto-parietal network; Functional connectivity; Internet addiction; Salience network