Altered dynamic reconfiguration of brain functional networks during gaming and deprivation in individuals with internet gaming disorder

Background and aimsBased on the Interaction of Person-Affect-Cognition-Execution (I-PACE) model, this study aimed to identify dynamic reconfiguration of the basal ganglia network (BGN), limbic network (LN) and frontal-parietal network (FPN) in individuals with internet gaming disorder (IGD) during a real gaming situation. This approach overcomes the indirectness of experimental task situations in previous studies, providing direct evidence for the underlying neural basis of IGD.MethodsThirty gamers with IGD and 37 gamers with recreational game use (RGU) were scanned during online gaming and immediate deprivation. Two coefficients (recruitment and integration) were calculated using community structure, an emerging method, to represent individual functional segregation and integration of brain networks over time, respectively.ResultsThe IGD group showed greater recruitment of BGN and LN after deprivation of gaming, and greater integration between the inferior frontal gyrus in the FPN and BGN and between the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in the FPN and LN during deprivation. In contrast, the RGU group exhibited lower recruitment of BGN during deprivation than during gaming, stable recruitment of LN and stable integration between nodes in the FPN and BGN.ConclusionsGamers with RGU always maintain stable cognitive control and emotional regulation and could drop cravings/anticipation for continuing gaming after being interrupted gaming. However, gamers with IGD have stronger craving/anticipation and emotional responses after being interrupted gaming and insufficient control over cravings/anticipation and emotions. These findings help directly explain why gamers with IGD are addicted to gaming, despite having similar gaming experiences to those of gamers with RGU.