The task-based fMRI study on neural activity of internet gaming addiction among Malaysian adolescents: A stroop color task

Abstract

Background: Gaming can be very entertaining and through it, gamers are able to develop skills. However, it also may result in one’s getting too obsessed with video games regardless of any circumstances. Unnoticed, it may develop an Internet gaming disorder (IGD). This study aimed to investigate the neural activation involved in cognitive flexibility using fMRI that being triggered by the Stroop color task among Malaysian youngsters and its correlation with designated psychological disorders.

Methods: A total of 37 participants (IGD = 19, Control = 18) were recruited to partake in this study. The division of participants according to the cut-off point of IAT and IGDS9-SF. Data were analyzed using MATLAB 8.5 (R2015a) and Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 (SPM 12) to evaluate brain activation.

Results: This study found that IGD groups experience hyperactivation in the occipital and parietal lobes especially in the inferior occipital gyrus IOG and inferior parietal gyrus (IPG) but a hypoactivation on the frontal lobe. There a significant mean difference for the right IOG and left supplementary motor area (SMA) between the IGD and control groups at p <0.025 after, Bonferroni correction. A significant correlation was found (p < 0.006; Bonferroni correction) between cerebellum 45 right and stress behavior, r = 0.65.

Conclusion: These results indicated that individuals with IGD tend to have the rampant yet favorable ability in attention and recognition regulation but deterioration in reward processing. These findings provide a deeper understanding in developing appropriate guidelines and interventions to treat the Internet gaming addicts community, especially in the Malaysian population.