The Neuropathology of Internet Addiction

Abstract

"Internet addiction" refers to excessive Internet use that causes significant psychological and social disturbance along with functional impairment. The etiology of Internet addiction is controversial. It has been classified within addictive behaviors and impulse control disorders and it is suggested that trait impulsivity could be used as a marker for predisposition to Internet addiction disorder (IAD). A number of studies have suggested that patients with IAD demonstrated impaired error-monitoring ability compared to healthy controls. IAD is associated with impaired executive control, which is linked to the inability to inhibit brain activation. The mesolimbic reward system is thought to play a crucial role in the development and maintenance of substance use disorders. It was shown that enhanced reward sensitivity and decreased loss sensitivity are correlated with IAD compared to healthy controls. Neuroimaging studies reveal structural changes in the brain of individuals with IAD. Microstructural evidence in gray and white matter obtained from studies further reveal the underlying neural mechanisms of IAD. A variety of gene polymorphisms have been found to be associated with predisposition to IAD. Evidence is still limited in this area and further research is needed to better understand the neuropathology of Internet addiction. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.