This article gives an overview of the concept and brain mechanisms of Internet game and smartphone addiction and the applicability of precision medicine and smart healthcare system. Internet game and smartphone addiction are categorized as behavioral addictions, which share similar phenomenology and neurobiological underpinnings with substance addictions. Neuroimaging studies revealed the alteration in the functional activity and structure of individuals with Internet game and smartphone addiction, which also can be potent biomarkers. Precision medicine is defined as treatments targeted to the individual patients on the basis of genetic, biomarker, phenotypic or psychosocial characteristics. Recent advances in high-throughput technology and bioinformatics have enabled us to integrate these big data with behavioral data collected from smartphones or other wearable devices. Data collected via smart devices can be transferred to medical institute and integrated in order to diagnose current status precisely and to provide optimal intervention. The feedbacks of intervention are sent back to the medical provider via self-reports or objective measures to evaluate the appropriateness of the intervention. In conclusion, Internet game and smartphone addiction can be diagnosed precisely using high-throughput technology and optimally managed via smart healthcare system.
Keywords: Internet gaming disorder; Neuroimaging; Precision medicine; Smart healthcare system; Smartphone addiction.