Addiction severity modulates the precuneus involvement in internet gaming disorder: Functionality, morphology and effective connectivity

Although higher precuneus activation has often been observed in subjects with addictions when facing addiction-relevant cues, the recruitment of the precuneus is not consistent across studies. Here, we examined the extent to which addiction severity may relate to precuneus involvement during cue reactivity in internet gaming disorder (IGD). We recruited 65 subjects with IGD, collected brain responses when exposed to gaming cues and assessed brain structure. We correlated IGD severity with brain responses during a cue-craving task, precuneus volume, and connectivity with respect to inputs/outputs to/from the precuneus. In the cue-craving task, IGD severity was positively correlated with precuneus activation when exposed to gaming cues. IGD severity was also positively correlated with the volume of precuneus and connectivity from the hippocampal gyrus to the precuneus. IGD severity was also negatively correlated with connectivity from the middle frontal gyrus to the precuneus. In IGD, IGD severity relates to precuneus involvement with respect to functionality, morphology, and connectivity. The precuneus may act as a platform for integrating potential contradictory information between executive control and sub-cortical cravings.