Shibata Mami, Tsurumi Kosuke, Kobayashi Kei, Yoshimura Sayaka, Spantios Michael, Oishi Naoya, Murai Toshiya, Fujiwara Hironobu
Department of Psychiatry, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Department of Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry, Habilitation and Rehabilitation, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.
Front Neurosci. 2025 Jul 1;19:1599987. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2025.1599987. eCollection 2025.
Although a number of neuroimaging studies on problematic internet use (PIU) have been conducted, few studies on non-problematic internet use (non-PIU) are available; therefore, the influences of non-PIU on brain function are unclear. Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) could be an appropriate tool to investigate subclinical samples, such as non-PIU, to capture the potentially subtle changes compared to clinical samples. In the context of rsFC, the default mode network (DMN), the central executive network (CEN), and the salience network (SN) are representative of the brain networks. Because accumulating studies have investigated rsFC between these networks in PIU samples, investigating rsFC between these networks in non-PIU samples could give us a clue to elucidate the neural basis of non-PIU in relation to those of PIU.
We recruited 119 healthy volunteers and used the General Problematic Internet Use Scale-2 (GPIUS-2) to measure their propensity to use the Internet. The GPIUS-2 consists of four subscales. We analyzed the correlation between the degree of Internet use assessed by the GPIUS-2 and the rsFC of the regions comprising DMN, CEN, and SN using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in non-PIU samples.
There was a positive correlation between the mood regulation subscale score and SN (bilateral anterior insula) - CEN (left lateral prefrontal cortex: LPFC), SN (left anterior insula) - DMN (medial prefrontal cortex: MPFC), and DMN (MPFC) - CEN (right LPFC) rsFC. Additionally, there was a negative correlation between the mood regulation subscale score and DMN - FPN rsFC.
The correlations between rsFC and non-PIU suggest that non-PIU and PIU could influence rsFC in opposite directions. Furthermore, the hub regions comprising connections correlated with non-PIU in this study are involved in cognitive and emotional processes. One possible interpretation would be that the bilateral insula and synchronized LPFC activity in individuals with non-PIU results in well-functioning emotion regulation as an appropriate coping strategy, in contrast to PIU. These findings suggest that non-PIU might contribute to health promotion through mood regulation with alterations in the functional connectivity between the regions involved in mood regulation.
尽管已经开展了多项关于网络使用问题（PIU）的神经影像学研究，但关于非网络使用问题（non-PIU）的研究却很少；因此，non-PIU对脑功能的影响尚不清楚。静息态功能连接（rsFC）可能是一种合适的工具，用于研究像non-PIU这样的亚临床样本，以捕捉与临床样本相比潜在的细微变化。在rsFC的背景下，默认模式网络（DMN）、中央执行网络（CEN）和突显网络（SN）是脑网络的代表。由于越来越多的研究已经在PIU样本中研究了这些网络之间的rsFC，因此研究non-PIU样本中这些网络之间的rsFC可能会为我们阐明non-PIU相对于PIU的神经基础提供线索。
我们招募了119名健康志愿者，并使用一般网络使用问题量表-2（GPIUS-2）来测量他们使用互联网的倾向。GPIUS-2由四个分量表组成。我们在non-PIU样本中使用静息态功能磁共振成像分析了GPIUS-2评估的互联网使用程度与构成DMN、CEN和SN的区域的rsFC之间的相关性。
情绪调节分量表得分与SN（双侧前脑岛）-CEN（左侧前额叶皮质：LPFC）、SN（左侧前脑岛）-DMN（内侧前额叶皮质：MPFC）以及DMN（MPFC）-CEN（右侧LPFC）的rsFC之间存在正相关。此外，情绪调节分量表得分与DMN-FPN的rsFC之间存在负相关。
rsFC与non-PIU之间的相关性表明，non-PIU和PIU可能以相反的方向影响rsFC。此外，本研究中与non-PIU相关的连接所包含的枢纽区域参与认知和情感过程。一种可能的解释是，与PIU相比，non-PIU个体的双侧脑岛和同步的LPFC活动导致了作为一种适当应对策略的良好情绪调节功能。这些发现表明，non-PIU可能通过调节情绪以及改变参与情绪调节区域之间的功能连接来促进健康。
