Deficits of Right Cortico-striatal Pathway predicts Internet Addiction Severity
Poster No:
647
Submission Type:
Abstract Submission
Authors:
Hui Zhou1, Liangyu Gong1, Conghui Su1, Fengji Geng1, Yuzheng Hu2
Institutions:
1Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 2Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang
First Author:
Co-Author(s):
Introduction:
Internet addiction (IA) is a new form of behavioral addiction, leading to anxiety, depression, and detrimental impacts on mental well-being, ultimately influencing students' academic performance (Lebni et al. 2020). Previous studies have identified dysfunctional prefrontal-striatum circuits in both substance use disorders (Hu et al. 2019) and internet gaming disorder (Gong et al. 2022), however, the underlying structural substrates remain elusive. Here we adopted voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) techniques to investigate whether structural deficits of cortico-striatal pathway could predict severity of IA.
Methods:
Ninety-six undergraduates from Zhejiang University participated in this study (age = 20.59± 2.27, 57 males). The severity of IA was assessed using the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and DSM-5 criteria, while the level of self-control was assessed by Self-control scale. To explore the relationship between brain structure and IA severity, we first performed multiple linear regression analysis on gray matter volume and IAT scores, adjusting for intracranial volume, depression, anxiety scores, age, and gender. The gray matter volume of the region displaying a significant result was extracted for further correlation with DSM, and self-control scores. The region exhibiting a significant result in the multiple regression, specifically the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC, see below), and bilateral ventral striatum were chosen as seeds for tractography. Fractional anisotropy (FA), and radial diffusivity (RD) values from identified white matter pathways were extracted for correlation with severity of IA and self-control scores. In addition, the identified white matter pathway masks were mirrored by x-axis, and the FA and RD values were extracted from the flipped mask and correlated with severity of IA, and self-control. This step aimed to rule out the possibility that the laterality of results was induced by different voxels involved. Further mediation analysis was conducted to reveal the relationship between FA, severity of IA, and self-control.
Results:
Multiple regression analysis showed a cluster located at dACC (cluster size: 908) was found negatively correlated with IAT score (Figure 1A, B). The gray matter volume of dACC was negatively correlated with DSM (r = -0.264, p =0.011), but not with self-control (r = 0.15, p = 0.167).
The DTI tractography analysis identified white matter connections between dACC and rVS, lVS, respectively (Figure 2A). The results showed the FA and RD values of rVS-dACC white matter connection was negatively (r = -0.27, p = 0.011) and positively (r = 0.25, p = 0.020) correlated with IAT scores, respectively (Figure 2B). As for self-control, a significantly positive correlation was found with FA of rVS-dACC pathway (Figure 2B; r = 0.22, p = 0.036). No significant correlation was found between white matter indexes of lVS-dACC and IAT or self-control (pmin = 0.537). White matter indexes of the flipped rVS-dACC pathway did not correlate with IAT or self-control scores (pmin = 0.264), whereas the FA and RD of flipped lVS-dACC pathway was negatively and positively correlated with IAT (Figure 2C; r = -0.37, p < 0.001; r = 0.34, p = 0.001), respectively, and the FA of flipped lVS-dACC pathway was positively correlated with self-control scores (Figure 2C; r = 0.22, p = 0.037).
Further mediation analyses showed that self-control completely mediated the relationship between FA of rVS-dACC and IAT. Specifically, a significant total effect of FA of rVS-dACC on IAT was identified (c = -67.24, p = 0.012). The mediation effect of self-control was significant (a*b = -26.67, CI [-52.08, -4.12]), and the direct effect of FA of rVS-dACC on IAT was not significant (c' = -40.57, p = 0.088).
The DTI tractography analysis identified white matter connections between dACC and rVS, lVS, respectively (Figure 2A). The results showed the FA and RD values of rVS-dACC white matter connection was negatively (r = -0.27, p = 0.011) and positively (r = 0.25, p = 0.020) correlated with IAT scores, respectively (Figure 2B). As for self-control, a significantly positive correlation was found with FA of rVS-dACC pathway (Figure 2B; r = 0.22, p = 0.036). No significant correlation was found between white matter indexes of lVS-dACC and IAT or self-control (pmin = 0.537). White matter indexes of the flipped rVS-dACC pathway did not correlate with IAT or self-control scores (pmin = 0.264), whereas the FA and RD of flipped lVS-dACC pathway was negatively and positively correlated with IAT (Figure 2C; r = -0.37, p < 0.001; r = 0.34, p = 0.001), respectively, and the FA of flipped lVS-dACC pathway was positively correlated with self-control scores (Figure 2C; r = 0.22, p = 0.037).
Further mediation analyses showed that self-control completely mediated the relationship between FA of rVS-dACC and IAT. Specifically, a significant total effect of FA of rVS-dACC on IAT was identified (c = -67.24, p = 0.012). The mediation effect of self-control was significant (a*b = -26.67, CI [-52.08, -4.12]), and the direct effect of FA of rVS-dACC on IAT was not significant (c' = -40.57, p = 0.088).
Conclusions:
These results indicated that rVS-dACC pathway serves as the common substrate of self-control and IA, and the deficit of this pathway may lead to IA through insufficient involvement of self-control.
Disorders of the Nervous System:
Psychiatric (eg. Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia) 1
Higher Cognitive Functions:
Executive Function, Cognitive Control and Decision Making
Neuroanatomy, Physiology, Metabolism and Neurotransmission:
White Matter Anatomy, Fiber Pathways and Connectivity
Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:
Anatomical MRI 2
Diffusion MRI
Keywords:
Addictions
DISORDERS
MRI
Psychiatric
STRUCTURAL MRI
Tractography
White Matter
1|2Indicates the priority used for review
Provide references using author date format
Hu, Y. (2019). "Compulsive drug use is associated with imbalance of orbitofrontal- and prelimbic-striatal circuits in punishment-resistant individuals." Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 116(18): 9066-9071.
Lebni, J. Y. (2020). "A study of internet addiction and its effects on mental health: A study based on Iranian University Students." Journal of Education and Health Promotion 9.