Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42130282›Full record

ArticlePsychological medicine2026

Network diffusion modeling predicts spatiotemporal gray matter alterations in internet gaming disorder.

Shaoyu Cui, Min Wang, Xuefeng Xu, Meiting Wei, Xin Luo, Xuzhou Li, Zhitao Huang, Ouwen Huang, Guang-Heng Dong

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Article in Psychological medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Shaoyu Cuihttps://ror.org/00sc9n023Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China.ORCID 0009-0005-8117-1569
Min Wanghttps://ror.org/04c4dkn09Ningbo University, Ningbo, China.
Xuefeng Xuhttps://ror.org/00sc9n023Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China.
Meiting Weihttps://ror.org/00sc9n023Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China.
Xin Luohttps://ror.org/00sc9n023Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China.
Xuzhou Lihttps://ror.org/00sc9n023Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China.
Zhitao Huanghttps://ror.org/00sc9n023Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China.
Ouwen Huanghttps://ror.org/00sc9n023Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China.
Guang-Heng Donghttps://ror.org/00sc9n023Yunnan Normal University, Kunming, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecent research indicates that neuropathological alterations may propagate via brain networks, as illustrated by network diffusion models (NDMs). The application of NDM to internet gaming disorder (IGD) has yet to be evaluated. This study was set to identify possible epicenters of neuroanatomical alterations using NDM in IGD.

methodsStructural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were obtained from 288 IGD participants and 165 matched recreational game users. Gray matter volume (GMV) was computed through CAT12 and segmented according to the Brainnetome Atlas. NMD was utilized to simulate the propagation of pathology. We initiated diffusion from each location to pinpoint probable epicenters of GMV alterations in IGD and correlated eigenmodes of the Laplacian matrix with observed atrophy and expansion patterns.

resultsAbnormal brain regions with altered GMV were observed in IGD. Specifically, IGD demonstrated a great loss in GMV in the caudal cuneus gyrus, precentral and postcentral gyrus, as well as the cingulate cortex while simultaneously exhibiting an increase in the amygdala. The pallidus and putamen showed positive correlations with gaming craving. Both the right cingulate gyrus and the left amygdala were identified by the model as significant epicenters of disease dissemination.

conclusionsThe results suggest that gray matter morphological abnormalities can predict temporal sequencing of pathology progression in IGD. Subcortical gray matter volume increases in reward-processing-related regions were positively correlated with gaming craving severity in IGD, consistent with altered reward processing and motivational drive in addiction models.

Indexed as

Gray MatterInternet Addiction DisorderVideo GamesAdolescentAdultAmygdalaFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleYoung AdultBrain connectomeCognitive controlDisease epicenterDisease progressionGaming cravingGray matter volumeInternet gaming disorderNetwork diffusion modelNeuropathological spreadReward systemStructural MRISubcortical gray matter

Identifiers

PMID42130282
PMCPMC13200156

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.