P300 change and cognitive behavioral therapy in subjects with Internet addiction disorder A 3-month follow-up study

Event-related potential studies of cognitive function in addiction behaviors have focused on the P300 event-related potential component. The current study investigated the association between P300 component and Internet addiction disorder. We found that individuals with Internet addiction disorder exhibited significantly longer P300 latencies than controls （N2： P = 0.035; P3a： P = 0.031 P3b： P = 0.043） and similar P300 amplitudes compared to control participants. After 3 months of cognitive behavioral therapy, P300 latencies decreased significantly in the P3a and P3b （P3a： P = 0.045; P3b： P = 0.062）. These results suggest that deficits in cognitive function may be involved in Internet addiction disorder, and that clinical psychological treatment may be effective.

Decreased frontal lobe function in people with Internet addiction disorder

In our previous studies, we showed that frontal lobe and brainstem functions were abnormal in online game addicts. In this study, 14 students with Internet addiction disorder and 14 matched healthy controls underwent proton-magnetic resonance spectroscopy to measure cerebral function. Results demonstrated that the ratio of N-acetylaspartate to creatine decreased, but the ratio of cho- line-containing compounds to creatine increased in the bilateral frontal lobe white matter in people with Internet addiction disorder. However, these ratios were mostly unaltered in the brainstem, suggesting that frontal lobe function decreases in people with Internet addiction disorder.

Increased regional homogeneity in internet addiction disorder： a resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Background Internet addition disorder （lAD） is currently becoming a serious mental health problem among Chinese adolescents. The pathogenesis of lAD, however, remains unclear. The purpose of this study applied regional homogeneity （ReHo） method to analyze encephalic functional characteristic of lAD college students under resting state. Methods Functional magnetic resonanc image （fMRI） was performed in 19 lAD college students and 19 controls under resting state. ReHo method was used to analyze the differences between the average ReHo in two groups. Results The following increased ReHo brain regions were found in lAD group compared with control group： cerebellum, brainstem, right cingulate gyrus, bilateral parahippocampus, right frontal lobe （rectal gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus and middle frontal gyrus）, left superior frontal gyrus, left precuneus, right postcentral gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus, right inferior temporal gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus and middle temporal gyrus. The decreased ReHo brain regions were not found in the lAD group compared with the control group. Conclusions There are abnormalities in regional homogeneity in lAD college students compared with the controls and enhancement of synchronization in most encephalic regions can be found. The results reflect the functional change of brain in lAD college students. The connections between the enhancement of synchronization among cerebellum, brainstem, limbic lobe, frontal lobe and apical lobe may be relative to reward pathways.

Effect of electro-acupuncture combined with psychological intervention on mental symptoms and P50 of auditory evoked potential in patients with internet addiction disorder

OBJECTIVE: To observe the therapeutic effects of electro-acupuncture(EA) combined with psychological intervention on the symptom of somzatization or obsession and mental symptom of depression or anxiety and P50 of Auditory Evoked Potential(AEP) on internet addiction disorder(IAD).METHODS: One hundred and twenty cases of IAD were randomly divided into an EA group, a psycho-intervention(PI) group and a comprehensive therapy(EA plus PI) group. Patients in the EA group were treated with EA. Patients in the PI group were treated with cognition and behavior therapy. Patients in the EA plus PI group were treated with electro-acupuncture plus psychological intervention. Scores of IAD, scores of the symptom checklist90(SCL-90), latency and amplitude of P50 of AEP were measured before and after treatment.RESULTS: The scores of IAD after treatment significantly decreased in all groups(P < 0.05), and thescores of IAD in the EA plus PI group were significantly lower than those in the other two groups(P < 0.05). The scores of SCL-90 assembled and each factor after treatment in the EA plus PI group significantly decreased(P < 0.05). After treatment in the EA plus PI group, the amplitude distance of S1P50 and S2P50(S1-S2) significantly increased(P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: EA combined with PI could relieve the mental symptoms of IAD patients, and the mechanism is possibly related to the increase of cerebrum sense perception gating function.

Determinants of internet addiction among medical students in Casablanca: a cross-sectional study

Objective:This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and determinants of Internet addiction among medical students at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Casablanca,Morocco.Methods:This was a cross-sectional study conducted among students at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy in Casablanca between October and March 2020.An online questionnaire was administered to students to collect data and internet addiction was assessed by the Young questionnaire.A score threshold≥50 was adopted to define addiction.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with internet addiction.Results:Out of a total of 4093 FMPC students enrolled in the 2020-2021 academic year,506 agreed to participate in this study,including 303 females and 203 males.The mean addiction score assessed on the Young scale was(49.08±16.11).The prevalence of Internet addiction was 44.5%(225/506,95% CI:40% to 49%).Multiple regression analysis showed that being older than 20 years(OR=0.17,95% CI:0.40 to 0.64),being female(OR=1.70,95% CI:1.04 to 2.78),being in the dissertation year(6th year)(OR=5.17,95% CI:2.23 to 11.44),having a history of psychiatric consultation(OR=2.64,95% CI:1.34 to 5.21),having divorced parents(OR=2.64,95% CI:1.05 to 5.87),use of sleeping medication(OR=2.9,95% CI:1.05 to 3.70),sleep disorders(OR=2.06,95% CI:1.25 to 3.79),sleep deprivation(OR=2.26,95% CI:1.39 to 3.65),excessive daytime sleepiness(OR=5.39,95% CI:2.19 to 13.24),anxiety disorders(OR=1.47,95% CI:1.18 to 2.30),duration of internet connection(>4 h)(OR=11.43,95% CI:4.85 to 27.66),and having frequent conflicts with parents(OR=2.37,95% CI:1.49 to 3.79)and friends(OR=0.26,95% CI:0.11 to 0.65)were independently associated with internet addiction.Conclusion:The prevalence of Internet addiction among medical students in Casablanca remains high.Targeted action on the determinants would be of great value in prevention.

Causes of Internet Addiction Disorder

The Internet Addiction Disorder diagnostic manual approved by psychologists on November 8 divides Internet addiction into five categories,which are addiction to online games,pornography,social networking,Internet information and Internetshopping.

Smartphone dependency and its impact on academics among medical and nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Objective:This study aimed to assess smartphone dependency and its impact on academics among medical and nursing students.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was carried out on Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery(MBBS)and Bachelor of Science in Nursing(BScN)students in a medical teaching institute.The Smartphone Dependency Scale and self-structured questionnaire on impact of smartphone on academics were used to assess smartphone dependency and its impact on academics.A total of 436 students were selected using the total enumerative sampling technique.Data were analyzed using the descriptive(frequency,percentage,mean,and standard deviation)and inferential(t-test,Chi-square test)statistics.Results:The mean age of students was 20.6±1.29 years,81%were females,and the mean body mass index score was 21.59±3.41 kg/m2.The mean impact on academics and smartphone dependency scores was 19.92±7.01 and 48.58±11.46,respectively.The impact on academics had a significant association with student category(P<0.001)and gender(P<0.001).A significant association was found between the impact on academics(P=0.003)and smartphone dependency(P=0.05)with studying class.Conclusion:The use of smartphones is more among medical students.Students studying in the first and second years are found to be more dependent on smartphone,which caused a serious impact on their academics.Smart appliances have become mandatory in this era of technology,and it is not possible to stop its usage but negative impact of smartphones on students’academic performance needs to be addressed.Therefore,it is mandatory to organize educational seminars and workshops to promote the appropriate use of smartphones.