Table 6.
Studies providing functional data dealing with VG experts or excessive gaming.
| Ref. | Year | N | Mean age (range) | Sample | VG experience/Addiction | VG genre | Technique | Design | Neural correlates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thalemann et al., 2007* | 2007 | 30 | Young adults, male | 28.75 ± 6.11 (Excessive VGP) 25.73 ± 8.14 (Control) |
Excessive VGP (4.31 ± 2.17 h/day) Casual VGP (0.25 ± 0.46 h/day |
– | EEG (ERP) | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | Excessive vs. Casual VGP (exposition to gaming cues): ▴ Pz ▴ P4 |
| Allison and Polich, 2008** | 2008 | 14 | 23.5 ± 5.1 | Healthy young adults | Expert VGP (>10 h/week) | Action, First Person Shooter | EEG (ERP) | Experimental (crossover) | Correlated with gaming workload: ▾ N100 amplitudes (largest in Cz, smallest in Pz) ▾ P200 amplitudes (largest in Cz) ▾ N200 amplitudes (largest in Cz) ▾ sP300 amplitudes (largest in Pz, smallest on Fz) |
| Ko et al., 2009* | 2009 | 20 | (21–25) | Young adults, male | IGD (>30 h/week) Control (<2 h/day) |
Role playing, MMORPG | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (exposition to gaming pictures): ▴ OFC (right) ▴ NAcc (right) ▴ ACC & Medial frontal cortex (bilateral) ▴ dlPFC (right) ▴ CN (right) |
| Granek et al., 2010* | 2010 | 26 | 24 ± 3.1 and 26 ± 4.6 | Healthy young adults, male | Expert VGP (12.8 ± 8.6 h/week) Non-VGP |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental | Expert VGP vs. Non-VGP: ▴ SFG ▴ dlPFC (including MFG (BA 46) & IFG) ▴ vlPFC (including IFG (BA 45), ventro-orbital frontal gyrus (BA 47) and rostral lateral sulcus (BA 45) ▴ PPC (including parietooccipital sulcus (BA 7, 19), PCu (BA 7), IPS (BA 7) and IPC (BA 7) |
| Liu et al., 2010* | 2010 | 38 | Young adults | 21.0 ± 1.3 (IAD) 20.0 ± 1.8 (Control) |
IAD (= 6 h/day) Non-IAD |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IAD vs. Control (Regional homogeneity): ▴ Cerebellum ▴ Brainstem ▴ CG (right) ▴ PHG (bilateral) ▴ Frontal lobe (rectal gyrus, IFG & MFG) (right) ▴ SFG (left) ▴ PCu (left) ▴ PoCG (right) |
| – | ▴ MOG (right) ▴ ITG (right) ▴ STG (left) ▴ MTG |
||||||||
| Doty et al., 2011* | 2011 | 14 | – | – | VG Dependent VG Non-dependent | Action, First Person Shooter | EEG (ERP) | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | Dependent vs. Non-dependent group: ▾ PFC (Pre-event) ▾ PFC Theta waves (Post-event) ▾ Prefrontal and frontal regions (general activation) |
| Dong et al., 2012* | 2012 | 29 | 24.2 ± 3.5 (IAD) 24.6 ± 3.8 (Control) |
Young adults, male | IAD (>80% time playing VG) Control (16.3 ± 4.3 Young's scale score) |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (Regional Homogeneity): ▴ Brainstem ▴ IPC ▴ Posterior cerebellum (left) ▴ MFG (left) ▾ ITG (left) ▾ Occipital lobe (left) ▾ PoCG (left) ▾ MCG (left) |
| Ding et al., 2013* | 2013 | 41 | 16.94 ± 2.73 (Internet addiction group) 15.87 ± 2.69 (Control group) |
Adolescents | Internet Addiction (26.44 ± 21.47 h/week; CIAS 64.59 ± 6.43) Control (10.50 ± 11.60 h/week; CIAS 45.70 ± 7.81) |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (FC): ▴ Bilateral cerebellum posterior lobe & MTG ▾ IPC (bilateral) & ITG (right) |
| Feng et al., 2013* | 2013 | 33 | 16.93 ± 2.34 (IGD) 16.33 ± 2.61 (Control) |
Adolescents | IGD (25.47 ± 17.89 h/week; 66.73 ± 3.01 Chen Internet Addiction Scale) Control (9.28 ± 12.90 h/week; 40.50 ± 8.42 Chen Internet Addiction Scale) |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control: ▴ ITC/FG (left) ▴ PHG/Amygdala (left) ▴ Medial frontal lobe /ACC (right) ▴ Insula (bilateral) ▴ MTG (right) ▴ PrCG (right) ▴ SMA (left) ▴ CG (left) ▴ IPC (right) ▾ MTG (left) ▾ MOG (left) ▾ CG (right) |
| Kätsyri et al., 2013a* | 2013 | 11 | 25.6 (22–33) | Healthy young adults, male | VG Experts (>10 h/week) | Action, First Person Shooter | fMRI | Experimental (crossover) | Winning vs. Losing: ▴ omPFC Active vs. Vicarious playing: ▾ Midbrain ▾ Striatum (especially anterior putamen, in loss events) |
| Kätsyri et al., 2013b* | 2013 | 17 | 24.8 (20–33) | Healthy young adults, male | VG Experts (>10 h/week) | Action, First Person Shooter | fMRi | Experimental (crossover) | Winning vs. Losing: ▴ vmPFC ▴ VS ▴ DS Winning condition (FC): ▴ VS & ▴ Insula (right) ▴ VS & ▴ DS ▴ VS & ▴ PrCG & PoCG ▴ VS & ▴ Visual association cortices Human vs. Computer opponent: ▴ vmPFC ▴ DS |
| Ko et al., 2013* | 2013 | 45 | 24.67 ± 3.11 (IGD) 24.80 ± 2.68 (Remission) 24.47 ± 2.83 (Control) |
Young adults, male | IGD IGD in remission Control (Non-IGD) | Role playing, MMORPG | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (exposition to gaming cues): ▴ dlPFC (bilateral) ▴ PCu ▴ PHG (left) ▴ PCC ▴ ACC (right) |
| Kim et al., 2013 | 2013 | 5 | 18 ± 0 | Adolescents, male | IGD (>4 h/day) Control (0 h/day) |
– | EEG (ERP) | Quasi-experimental (with control group and pretest) | Pre vs. Post course: ▴ P300 fronto-central areas (bilateral) IGD vs. Control (current density, post-course): ▾ Midline paracentral lobule ▾ PCu |
| Latham et al., 2013 | 2013 | 31 | 23.27 ± 0.88 (VGP) 25.69 ± 1.19 (Non-VGP) |
Healthy young adults, male | Expert VGP (34.67 ± 5.01 h/week) Non-VGP |
Action, shooter; Strategy or Role Playing, MMORPG | EEG (ERP) | Quasi-experimental | Expert VPG vs. Low VPG: Earlier Visual N1 |
| Song et al., 2013* | 2013 | 39 | Healthy young adults, male | 20.5 ± 1.6 (2D) 20.4 ± 2.1 (3D) |
Professional VGP (2D strategy VG) Professional VGP (3D strategy VG) |
Real time strategy | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | 2D vs. 3D strategy game: ▴ SFG (right) ▴ Medial frontal gyrus (bilateral) ▴ Occipital lobe (right) ▾ MFG (left) ▾ FG (left) ▾ Cerebellum (left) |
| Yuan et al., 2013b | 2013 | 36 | Adolescents and young adults | 19.4 ± 3.1 (IGD) 19.5 ± 2.8 (Control) |
Role playing, MMORPG | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control: ▴ medial OFC (left) ▴ PCu (left) ▴ SMA (left) ▴ PHG (right) ▴ MCG (bilateral) |
|
| Chen et al., 2014 | 2014 | 30 | 24.67 ± 3.12 (IGD) 24.47 ± 2.83 (Control) |
Young adults, male | IGD (>4 h/day; 76.00 ± 12.09 Chen Internet Addiction Scale) Control (26.0 ± 0.0 Chen Internet Addiction Scale) |
Role playing, MMORPG | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control: ▾ SMA (right) ▾ preSMA (right) |
| Tian et al., 2014* | 2014 | 12 | Young adults, male | 23.5 ± 2.58 (IGD) 22.7 ± 1.27 (Control) |
IGD (77.6 ± 6.8 Young's scale score) Control (28.7 ± 3.7 Young's scale score) |
Role playing, MMORPG | PET | Quasi-experimental (with control group and pretest) | IGD vs. Control (glucose metabolism): ▴ Cuneus (right) ▴ Calcarine (right) ▾ Medial temporal cortex (left) Within group (monoamine receptors): ▴ Correlation with IGD severity ▾ Putamen ▾ OFC/cerebellum ratio Glucose vs. monoamine: ▴ Striatum/cerebellum ratio ▴ OFC/cerebellum ratio |
| Wee et al., 2014* | 2014 | 33 | Adolescents | 17.3 ± 2.6 (IAD) 17.7 ± 2.5 (Control) |
IAD (4.8 ± 22 h/day; 62.4 ± 17.1 Young's Internet Addiction Scale) Control (1.3 ± 0.6 h/day; 37.0 ± 10.6 Young's Internet Addiction Scale) |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IAD vs. Control (FC): Frontal, occipital, and parietal lobes |
| Xing et al., 2014 | 2014 | 34 | Young adults | 19.1 ± 0.7 (IGD) 19.8 ± 1.3 (Control) |
IGD (9.5 ± 1.3 h/day; 65.7 ± 11.6 IAT) Control (2.2 ± 1.4 h/day; 29.2 ± 4.5 IAT) |
Action, Real time strategy | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (FC): = FC |
| Gong et al., 2015* | 2015 | 57 | 23.26 ± 0.4 (Experts) 22.36 ± 0.38 (Amateurs) |
Healthy young adults | Expert VGP (46.67 ± 2.1 h/week) Amateur VGP (14.2 ± 1.1 h/week) |
Action, Real time strategy | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | Experts vs. Amateurs (FC): ▴ Between insular regions (especially left) VG experience (FC): ▴ Insular functional integration (left) |
| Han et al., 2015 | 2015 | 47 | 15.2 ± 1.9 (IGD) 14.9 ± 1.9 (Control) |
Adolescents, male | IGD (>30 h/week) Non-IGD |
Role playing Real time strategy First Person Shooter Others | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control: ▴ FEF (left) to dACC ▴ FEF (left) to anterior insula (right) ▴ dlPFC (left) to TPJ (left) ▴ dlPFC (right) to TPJ (right) ▴ Auditory cortex (right) to motor cortex (right) ▴ Auditory cortex (right) to SMA ▴ Auditory cortex (right) to dACC |
| Hong et al., 2015* | 2015 | 23 | 13.4 ± 2.31(IGD) 14.81 ± 0.87(Control) |
Adolescents, male | IGD (14.25 ±1 2.12 h/week; 57.00 ± 17.39 Young Internet Addiction Test) Controls (16.86 ± 6.51 h/week; 38.36 ± 7.31 Young Internet Addiction Test) |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control-group) | IGD vs. Control (FC): ▾ Dorsal putamen & (Posterior insula, parietal operculum) Internet addiction scores (FC): ▴ Dorsal putamen & PoCG (bilateral) |
| Kim H. et al., 2015* | 2015 | 31 | 21.63 ± 5.92 (IGD) 25.4 ± 5.29 (Control) |
Young adults, male | IGD (5.95 ± 2.27 h/day; 75.81 ± 4.72 Young's Internet Addiction Test) Control (<2 h/day; 23.80 ± 14.81 Young's Internet Addiction Test) |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (Regional Homogeneity): ▴ PCC ▾ STG (right) Internet addiction scores correlated in (Regional Homogeneity): ▴ Medial frontal cortex ▴ PCu/PCC ▴ ITC (left) |
| Lee et al., 2015 | 2015 | 38 | Adolescents, male | 13.6 ± 0.9 (IGD) 13.4 ± 1.0 (Control) |
IGD Control (Non-IGD) | – | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (Angry facial stimuli): ▾ dACC ▴ Insula ▾ PPC ▴ FG IGD vs. Control (FC): ▴ (Insula & ▾ dlPFC, ▾ MTG, ▾ cerebellum, PPC) |
| Liu J. et al., 2015* | 2015 | 40 | Young adults | 21.4 ± 1.0 (IGD) 20.8 ± 1.1 (Control) |
IGD (= 6 h/day in internet) Control (<3 h/day in internet) |
Role playing, MMORPG | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control: ▴ SPG (right) ▴ Insular lobe (right) ▴ PCu (right) ▴ CG (right) ▴ STG (right) ▴ Brainstem (left) ▴ Frontal cortex |
| Luijten et al., 2015 | 2015 | 45 | Young adults, male | 20.83 ± 3.05 (IGD) 21.38 ± 3.03 (Control) |
IGD (Video game Addiction Test score = 2.5) Control (Video game Addiction Test score = 1.5) |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control: ▾ IFG (left) ▾ IPC (right) |
| Wang et al., 2015* | 2015 | 31 | Adolescents | 16.94 ± 2.73 (IGD) 15.87 ± 2.69 (Control) |
IGD (64.59 ± 6.43 Chen Internet Addiction Scale) Control (45.70 ± 7.81 Chen Internet Addiction Scale) |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (FC): ▾ SFG (orbital part) (bilateral) ▾ IFG (orbital part) ▾ MFG ▾ SFG |
| Dong and Potenza, 2016 | 2016 | 36 | 21.33 ± 2.18 (IGD) 21.90 ± 2.33 (Control) |
Young adults, male | IGD (>80% online time) Low or Non-VGP |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control: ▾ ACC ▾ PCC ▾ MTG ▾ IFG (RT) ▾ STG (RT) |
| Gong et al., 2016 | 2016 | 45 | 23.3 ± 4.3 (Experts) 22.3 ± 3.46 (Amateurs) |
Healthy young adults, male | Experts (ELO > 1,800) Amateurs (ELO <1,200) |
Action, Real time strategy | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | Action VG Experts vs. Amateurs: ▴ SN & CEN (global characteristics) ▴ Local regions of SN & CEN (nodal characteristics) ▴ SN & CEN (FC) |
| Han et al., 2016 | 2016 | 102 | 20.2 ± 3.2 (IGD) 20.2 ± 2.9 (Control) |
Adolescent or young adults, male | IGD (>30 h/week) Low or Non-VGP |
Role playing Real time strategy First Person Shooter Others | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (During executive task): ▴ Lateral occipital cortex (right) ▴ PCu |
| Jin et al., 2016* | 2016 | 46 | 19.12 ± 1.05 (IGD) 18.76 ± 1.81 (Control) |
Adolescents | IGD (5.32 ± 2.10 h/day) Low or Non-VGP (2.07 ± 1.39 h/day) |
Action, Real time strategy | fMRI/MRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (FC): ▾ (dlPFC, OFC, ACC & SMA) & (Insula, temporal cortices, occipital cortices) ▾ (dlPFC, OFC, ACC & SMA) & (DS, pallidum, thalamus) |
| Park et al., 2016 | 2016 | 36 | Young adults, male | 24.2 ± 3.2 (OGA-CBT) 23.6 ± 2.7 (OGA-VRT) 23.3 ± 2.9 (Control) |
IGD (>30 h/week) Control (<3 h/week) |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (baseline, ALFF): ▾ MFG (right) IGD vs. Control (baseline, FC) ▾ Cortico-striatal limbic circuit |
| Zhang et al., 2016 | 2016 | 115 | Young adults | 22.28 ± 1.98 (IGD) 23.02 ± 2.09 (Control) |
IGD (78.36 ± 8.43 Chen Internet Addiction Scale) Control (43.49 ± 9.64 Chen Internet Addiction Scale) |
– | fMRI | Quasi-experimental (with control group) | IGD vs. Control (FC): ▴ (Anterior insula & ACC, Putamen, Angular gyrus, PCu) ▴ (Posterior insula & PoCG, PrCG, SMA, STG) IGD severity (FC): ▴ (Anterior insula & Angular gyrus, STG) ▴ (Posterior insula & STG) |
ACC, Anterior cingulate cortex; CEN, Central executive network; CG, Cingulate gyrus; CIAS, Chen's Internet addiction scale; CN, Caudate nucleus; dACC, Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex; dlPFC, Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; DS, Dorsal striatum; FC, Functional connectivity; FEF, Frontal eye fields; FG, Fusiform gyrus; IFG, Inferior frontal gyrus; IGD, Internet gaming disorder; IPC, Inferior parietal cortex; IPS, Intraparietal sulcus; ITC, Inferior temporal cortex; ITG, Inferior temporal gyrus; MCG, Middle cingulate gyrus; MFG, Middle frontal gyrus; MOG, Middle occipital gyrus; MTG, Middle temporal gyrus; NAcc, Nucleus accumbens; OFC, Orbitofrontal cortex; omPFC, Orbitomedial prefrontal cortex; PCC, Posterior cingulate cortex; PCu, Precuneus; PFC, Prefrontal cortex; PHG, Parahippocampal gyrus; PoCG, Post-central gyrus; PrCG, Pre-central gyrus; preSMA, Pre-supplementary motor area; SFG, Superior frontal gyrus; SMA, Supplementary motor area; SN, Salience network; SPG, Superior temporal gyrus; STG, Superior temporal gyrus; TPJ, Temporo-parietal junction; vlPFC, Ventrolateral prefrontal cortex; VS, Ventral striatum. Articles marked with an asterisk
(*)
discuss cognitive implications without directly assessing this dimension. Articles marked with a double asterisk
(**)
did not provide either empirical cognitive data nor discuss cognitive implications. The rest of the articles (non-marked) have measured cognitive correlates with specific tasks.