Resting-state functional connectivity alterations in intermet gaming disorder: A fMRI study combining voxel-based morphometry meta-analysis

BACKGROUND: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a behavioral addiction, as revealed by previous neuroimaging studies on gray matter volume alterations and functional connectivity abnormalities that patients with internet gaming disorder have. Combining different dimensions of resting-state functional indicators may help us to understand more about the neuropathological mechanisms of online gaming disorder. METHODS: We conducted a systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus from January 2000 through December 2024 to identify eligible voxel-based morphometry(VBM) studies. Using an anisotropic seed-based D-Mapping (AES-SDM) meta-analysis approach, we compared structural brain abnormalities between IGDs and healthy controls(HCs). Subsequently, resting-state functional connectivity(rs-FC) analyses were performed on 56 IGDs and 43 HCs using meta-derived regions as seeds. In addition, we performed correlation analyses to assess the relationship between functional connectivity abnormalities and clinical features. RESULTS: The meta-analysis showed reduced gray matter volume(GMV) in the prefrontal cortex and cingulate gyrus, alongside increased GMV in the caudate nucleus in IGD compared to HCs. Rs-FC analysis showed enhanced connectivity between the middle cingulate cortex and prefrontal, cingulate and Supplementary motor area in IGD, with functional connectivity values correlating with duration of illness; However, after correction, this correlation was not significant. CONCLUSION: Our study suggest dysregulation of cognitive control, reward, and motor networks in IGD and emphasize the importance of prefrontal cortex and cingulate alterations in adolescent addiction mechanisms, providing insights for targeted interventions.