Changes in brain activity in response to problem solving during the abstinence from online game play

Background and aims: Several studies have suggested that addictive disorders including substance abuse and pathologic gambling might be associated with dysfunction on working memory and prefrontal activity. We hypothesized that excessive online game playing is associated with deficits in prefrontal cortex function and that recovery from excessive online game playing might improve prefrontal cortical activation in response to working memory stimulation. Methods: Thirteen adolescents with excessive online game playing (AEOP) and ten healthy adolescents (HC) agreed to participate in this study. The severity of online game play and playing time were evaluated for a baseline measurement and again following four weeks of treatment. Brain activation in response to working memory tasks (simple and complex calculations) at baseline and subsequent measurements was assessed using BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Results: Compared to the HC subjects, the AEOP participants exhibited significantly greater activity in the right middle occipital gyrus, left cerebellum posterior lobe, left premotor cortex and left middle temporal gyrus in response to working memory tasks during baseline measurements. After four weeks of treatment, the AEOP subjects showed increased activity within the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and left occipital fusiform gyrus. After four weeks of treatment, changes in the severity of online game playing were negatively correlated with changes in the mean β value of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in response to complex stimulation. Conclusions: We suggest that the effects of online game addiction on working memory may be similar to those observed in patients with substance dependence

A cohort study of patients seeking Internet gaming disorder treatment

Background and aims: Although Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is included as a condition in the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, little is known about its nature or treatment response. This study is a follow-up of 755 patients who received professional treatment for IGD over a 5-year period. Methods: The initial recommended treatment course lasted for 8 weeks, with additional care provided as needed. Treatment completion rates in the complete sample, as well as baseline predictors of treatment completion and long-term recovery among the 367 patients who completed the follow-up, are reported. Results: Nearly two thirds of patients who initiated treatment for IGD completed the 8-week psychotherapy. Of these, about two thirds who had not recovered completely by the end were offered additional care. Independent predictors of extended treatment were higher baseline scores on the Young Internet Addiction Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and Korean-Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder-Rating Scale (K-ADHD-RS). Between 1 and 5 years later, 33.5% of the complete sample was considered as recovered from IGD. Significant predictors of recovery from IGD were older age, earlier admission to the clinic, lower baseline scores on the BDI and K-ADHD-RS, and no offer of extended treatment. Discussion and conclusions: The majority of the patients seeking treatment for IGD continued experiencing difficulties and randomized controlled trials of interventions, which are needed to be conducted to improve outcomes. Age, family, social factors, and psychological symptoms should be considered, while designing and evaluating interventions, because they impact initial and sustained response to treatment for IGD

Exploring a multimodal approach for utilizing digital biomarkers for childhood mental health screening

BackgroundDepression and anxiety are prevalent mental health concerns among children and adolescents. The application of conventional assessment methods, such as survey questionnaires to children, may lead to self-reporting issues. Digital biomarkers provide extensive data, reducing bias in mental health self-reporting, and significantly influence patient screening. Our primary objectives were to accurately assess children’s mental health and to investigate the feasibility of using various digital biomarkers.MethodsThis study included a total of 54 boys and girls aged between 7 to 11 years. Each participant’s mental state was assessed using the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale. Subsequently, the subjects participated in digital biomarker collection tasks. Heart rate variability (HRV) data were collected using a camera sensor. Eye-tracking data were collected through tasks displaying emotion-face stimuli. Voice data were obtained by recording the participants’ voices while they engaged in free speech and description tasks.ResultsDepressive symptoms were positively correlated with low frequency (LF, 0.04–0.15 Hz of HRV) in HRV and negatively associated with eye-tracking variables. Anxiety symptoms had a negative correlation with high frequency (HF, 0.15–0.40 Hz of HRV) in HRV and a positive association with LF/HF. Regarding stress, eye-tracking variables indicated a positive correlation, while pNN50, which represents the proportion of NN50 (the number of pairs of successive R-R intervals differing by more than 50 milliseconds) divided by the total number of NN (R-R) intervals, exhibited a negative association. Variables identified for childhood depression included LF and the total time spent looking at a sad face. Those variables recognized for anxiety were LF/HF, heart rate (HR), and pNN50. For childhood stress, HF, LF, and Jitter showed different correlation patterns between the two grade groups.DiscussionWe examined the potential of multimodal biomarkers in children, identifying features linked to childhood depression, particularly LF and the Sad.TF:time. Anxiety was most effectively explained by HRV features. To explore reasons for non-replication of previous studies, we categorized participants by elementary school grades into lower grades (1st, 2nd, 3rd) and upper grades (4th, 5th, 6th).ConclusionThis study confirmed the potential use of multimodal digital biomarkers for children’s mental health screening, serving as foundational research

Comparison of brain connectivity between Internet gambling disorder and Internet gaming disorder: A preliminary study

Background and aims Given the similarities in clinical symptoms, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is thought to be diagnostically similar to Internet-based gambling disorder (ibGD). However, cognitive enhancement and educational use of Internet gaming suggest that the two disorders derive from different neurobiological mechanisms. The goal of this study was to compare subjects with ibGD to those with IGD. Methods Fifteen patients with IGD, 14 patients with ibGD, and 15 healthy control subjects were included in this study. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data for all participants were acquired using a 3.0 Tesla MRI scanner (Philips, Eindhoven, The Netherlands). Seed-based analyses, the three brain networks of default mode, cognitive control, and reward circuitry, were performed. Results Both IGD and ibGD groups demonstrated decreased functional connectivity (FC) within the default-mode network (DMN) (family-wise error p  Discussion and conclusions The IGD and ibGD groups shared the characteristic of decreased FC in the DMN. However, the IGD group demonstrated increased FC within the cognitive network compared with both ibGD and healthy comparison groups

Comparing the effectiveness of game literacy education and game coding education in improving problematic internet gaming

ObjectiveProblematic internet gaming by adolescents has been thought to be associated with low self-esteem, depression, anxiety, and attention problems. We hypothesized that both game literacy and coding education would effectively improve problematic internet use. However, game coding education would be more effective in enhancing self-esteem and social anxiety in adolescents than game literacy education.MethodsA total of 733 adolescent volunteers were included and randomly assigned to either the game coding education or game literacy education programs. Both programs consisted of eight sessions, each lasting 45 minutes, over four weeks. The coding education sessions included game planning and development lessons and allowed students to create the game’s characters, stages, and tutorials directly using Scratch, a free coding program. Game literacy education sessions included lessons on enjoying gaming with a healthy rationale and etiquette. Data on demographics, gaming patterns, and psychological status, including positive/negative perceptions of online games, depression, social anxiety, and self-esteem, were collected.ResultsBoth game coding and game literacy education significantly improved YIAS scores compared to baseline, and there was no significant difference in the YIAS scores between the two groups after the interventions. In the hierarchical logistic regression analysis of all participants, higher YIAS scores, stronger negative perceptions of gaming, and lower attention problem scores at baseline predicted lower levels of internet gaming addiction after interventions. In the hierarchical logistic regression analysis among individuals with game coding education, higher YIAS scores, stronger negative perceptions of gaming, lower attention problem scores, and higher self-esteem scores at baseline predicted lower levels of internet gaming addiction after intervention. In addition, game coding education greatly improved negative perceptions of games, self-esteem, and social anxiety compared to game literacy education.ConclusionBoth game literacy and game coding education effectively mitigate internet game addiction. However, game coding education effectively mitigated problematic internet gaming by improving negative perceptions of games, self-esteem, and social anxiety in adolescents. We found that the application of knowledge by students in creating their own games was more effective than simply developing a conceptual understanding of the games

Mental health in elite athletes: International Olympic Committee consensus statement (2019)

Mental health symptoms and disorders are common among elite athletes, may have sport related manifestations within this population and impair performance. Mental health cannot be separated from physical health, as evidenced by mental health symptoms and disorders increasing the risk of physical injury and delaying subsequent recovery. There are no evidence or consensus based guidelines for diagnosis and management of mental health symptoms and disorders in elite athletes. Diagnosis must differentiate character traits particular to elite athletes from psychosocial maladaptations. Management strategies should address all contributors to mental health symptoms and consider biopsychosocial factors relevant to athletes to maximise benefit and minimise harm. Management must involve both treatment of affected individual athletes and optimising environments in which all elite athletes train and compete. To advance a more standardised, evidence based approach to mental health symptoms and disorders in elite athletes, an International Olympic Committee Consensus Work Group critically evaluated the current state of science and provided recommendations

The JCMT BISTRO Survey: Studying the Complex Magnetic Field of L43

We present observations of polarized dust emission at 850 μm from the L43 molecular cloud, which sits in the Ophiuchus cloud complex. The data were taken using SCUBA-2/POL-2 on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope as a part of the BISTRO large program. L43 is a dense (NH 10 22 2 ~ –1023 cm−2) complex molecular cloud with a submillimeter-bright starless core and two protostellar sources. There appears to be an evolutionary gradient along the isolated filament that L43 is embedded within, with the most evolved source closest to the Sco OB2 association. One of the protostars drives a CO outflow that has created a cavity to the southeast. We see a magnetic field that appears to be aligned with the cavity walls of the outflow, suggesting interaction with the outflow. We also find a magnetic field strength of up to ∼160 ± 30 μG in the main starless core and up to ∼90 ± 40 μG in the more diffuse, extended region. These field strengths give magnetically super- and subcritical values, respectively, and both are found to be roughly trans-Alfvénic. We also present a new method of data reduction for these denser but fainter objects like starless cores