Reihao: Internet addiction may damage adolescent brain development

Absrtact: In order to find the pathogenesis of adolescent Internet addiction and explore treatment and rehabilitation program, the Reihao Research Group of Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics of Chinese Academy of Sciences has collaborated with Shanghai Jiaotong University Yan Chai Hospital and Mental Health center in the study of brain white matter lesions related to internet addiction.

In order to find the pathogenesis of adolescent Internet addiction and explore treatment and rehabilitation programs, the Reihao Research Group of Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, CAS, cooperated with the Yan Chai Hospital and Shanghai Mental Health Center to study the brain white matter lesions related to internet addiction.

After analyzing the image of brain diffusion tensor in adolescent addicts, Reihao and others found that the microstructure of some white matter fiber bundle was injured, and the degree of knee injury in the left corpus callosum was significantly correlated with the degree of anxiety.

The study group and its collaborators also analyzed the changes of gray matter volume in the adolescent patients with internet addiction, and found that the left lingual gyrus, the posterior cingulate cortex, the anterior thalamus, the left island lobe and the anterior cingulate cortex were significantly atrophic.

The findings, Reihao said, show that the brains of people with internet addiction are different in these locations from normal, and that the damage to white matter tissue is similar to other forms of addiction such as alcoholism, heroin dependence or cocaine addiction. Related symptoms include impaired cognitive control ability to influence decision-making.

According to Reihao, what people call "the fullness of the heavens" is in charge of brain control and executive function, which is mainly developed and matured in adolescence. Addicted to internet addiction of teenagers this site than the same kind of normal people have damage, but the causal relationship between brain damage and internet addiction has yet to be further confirmed, "can only say that internet addiction may damage adolescent brain development." ”

These are only the phases of the research project, Reihao said, and the next step is to analyze the brains of addicts who are addicts. "If the brain parts of these healers are normal, then find the evidence that Internet addiction is damaging the brain," he said. ”

For adult addiction, Reihao says the findings may not apply because their brain structure has matured. However, although the actual impact is uncertain, this does not mean that there is no brain damage to adults.