Altered Functional Connectivity of the Nucleus Accumbens and Amygdala in Cyber Addiction: A Resting State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Abstract

Objective Cyber addiction, which is more vulnerable in adolescents, is defined as the excessive use of computers and the Internet that causes serious psychological, social, and physical problems. In this study, we investigated the resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) in adolescents with cyber addiction.

Methods We collected and analyzed resting-state functional neuroimaging data of 20 patients with cyber addiction, aged 13−18 years, and 27 healthy controls. Based on previous studies, the seed regions included the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, medial orbitofrontal cortex, lateral orbitofrontal cortex, dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, insula, hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens, and the ventral tegmental area. Seed-to-voxel analyses were performed to investigate the differences between patients and healthy controls. A correlation analysis between rsFC and cyber addiction severity was also performed.

Results Patients with cyber addiction showed the following characteristics: increased positive rsFC between the left insular−right middle temporal gyrus; increased positive rsFC between the right hippocampus−right precentral gyrus; increased positive rsFC between the right amygdala−right precentral gyrus and right parietal operculum cortex; increased negative rsFC between the left nucleus accumbens−right cerebellum crus II and right cerebellum VI.

Conclusion Adolescents with cyber addiction show altered functional connectivity during the resting state. The findings of this study may help us better understand the neuropathology of cyber addiction in adolescents.