TY - JOUR
T1 - Web addiction in the brain: Cortical oscillations, autonomic activity, and behavioral measures
AU - Balconi, Michela
AU - Campanella, Salvatore
AU - Finocchiaro, Roberta
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Background and aims: Internet addiction (IA) was recently defined as a disorder tagging both the impulse control and the reward systems. Specifically, inhibitory deficits and reward bias were considered highly relevant in IA. This research aims to examine the electrophysiological correlates and autonomic activity [skin conductance response (SCR) and heart rate] in two groups of young subjects (N = 25), with high or low IA profile [tested by the Internet Addiction Test (IAT)], with specific reference to gambling behavior. Methods: Oscillatory brain activity (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma) and autonomic and behavioral measures [response times (RTs) and error rates (ERs)] were acquired during the performance of a Go/NoGo task in response to high-rewarding (online gambling videos and video games) or neutral stimuli. Results: A better performance (reduced ERs and reduced RTs) was revealed for high IAT in the case of NoGo trials representing rewarding cues (inhibitory control condition), probably due to a "gain effect" induced by the rewarding condition. In addition, we also observed for NoGo trials related to gambling and video games stimuli that (a) increased low-frequency band (delta and theta) and SCR and (b) a specific lateralization effect (more left-side activity) delta and theta in high IAT. Discussion: Both inhibitory control deficits and reward bias effect were considered to explain IA.
AB - Background and aims: Internet addiction (IA) was recently defined as a disorder tagging both the impulse control and the reward systems. Specifically, inhibitory deficits and reward bias were considered highly relevant in IA. This research aims to examine the electrophysiological correlates and autonomic activity [skin conductance response (SCR) and heart rate] in two groups of young subjects (N = 25), with high or low IA profile [tested by the Internet Addiction Test (IAT)], with specific reference to gambling behavior. Methods: Oscillatory brain activity (delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma) and autonomic and behavioral measures [response times (RTs) and error rates (ERs)] were acquired during the performance of a Go/NoGo task in response to high-rewarding (online gambling videos and video games) or neutral stimuli. Results: A better performance (reduced ERs and reduced RTs) was revealed for high IAT in the case of NoGo trials representing rewarding cues (inhibitory control condition), probably due to a "gain effect" induced by the rewarding condition. In addition, we also observed for NoGo trials related to gambling and video games stimuli that (a) increased low-frequency band (delta and theta) and SCR and (b) a specific lateralization effect (more left-side activity) delta and theta in high IAT. Discussion: Both inhibitory control deficits and reward bias effect were considered to explain IA.
KW - Autonomic activity
KW - Brain oscillations
KW - Gambling
KW - Internet addiction
KW - Rewarding
KW - Autonomic activity
KW - Brain oscillations
KW - Gambling
KW - Internet addiction
KW - Rewarding
UR - http://hdl.handle.net/10807/112623
UR - http://akademiai.com/doi/pdf/10.1556/2006.6.2017.041
U2 - 10.1556/2006.6.2017.041
DO - 10.1556/2006.6.2017.041
M3 - Article
SN - 2062-5871
VL - 6
SP - 334
EP - 344
JO - Journal of Behavioral Addictions
JF - Journal of Behavioral Addictions
ER -