Language processing in Internet use disorder: Task-based fMRI study

PLoS One. 2022 Jun 24;17(6):e0269979. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269979. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Internet use disorder (IUD) is generally conceptualized as a fast-growing behavioral addiction. Several structural and functional brain alterations have been revealed in this condition, but previous behavioral studies indicated that language systems may also be impaired. We used a silent word generation task to induce brain activation in Broca's area and other parts of the language system. Blood-oxygen-level-dependent activation analysis and psychophysiological interaction analysis were applied to assess functional brain changes. IUD was measured by the Problematic Internet Use Questionnaire and two additional questions concerning usage time and subjective rating of addiction. According to our key findings, areas strongly related to the default mode network were altered in IUD during the task. Moreover, Broca's area showed altered functional connectivity with other language network and occipital areas in IUD. These findings may address the neural background of decreased verbal fluency performance previously reported in the literature, and we emphasize that beside the brain's reward and inhibitory control systems, the language system is the next candidate to be involved in the pathogenesis of IUD.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brain Mapping
  • Broca Area
  • Internet Use
  • Language*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Hungarian Brain Research Program 20017-1.2.1-NKP−2017-00002 government-based fund. Our research was partly financed by the Higher Education Institutional Excellence Program of the Ministry of Human Capacities in Hungary, within the framework of the 5th thematic program of the University of Pécs, Hungary (20765/3/2018/FEKUSTRAT) and by the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund of Hungary (TKP2021-EGA-16). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.