ArticlePsychiatry investigation2021
A Literature Review on the Efficacy and Related Neural Effects of Pharmacological and Psychosocial Treatments in Individuals With Internet Gaming Disorder.
Article in Psychiatry investigation, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers.
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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.
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Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Off-Label Medications and Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation (NIBS) in the Treatment of Internet Gaming Disorder: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Addictive behaviors reports · 2026Review
- Psychopathology and Gaming Disorder in Adolescents.JAMA network open · 2025Article
- Problematic Social Media Use or Social Media Addiction in Pediatric Populations.Pediatric clinics of North America · 2025Review
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy-Game: An Ironic Way to Treat Internet Gaming Disorder.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Neuroimaging correlates of internet gaming disorder: Can we achieve the promise of translating understandings of brain functioning into clinical advances?The Canadian journal of addiction · 2023Article
- A Bibliometric Analysis of Research into Internet Gaming Disorders in Korea.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2023Review
- Potential Biological Markers and Treatment Implications for Binge Eating Disorder and Behavioral Addictions.Nutrients · 2023Review
- Dual Diagnosis in Adolescents with Problematic Use of Video Games: Beyond Substances.Brain sciences · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
6 authors at 4 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveInternet gaming disorder (IGD) has attracted considerable attention as a serious mental and public health issue worldwide. Currently, there are no established treatment guidelines for IGD. Herein, we review the latest findings on the efficacy and related neural effects of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments for individuals with IGD.
methodsA database search of relevant studies published between 2007 and 2020 was conducted using PubMed and Google Scholar. Twenty-seven studies were reviewed for current evidence related to the efficacy and neural effects of pharmacological and psychosocial IGD treatments.
resultsPharmacological studies suggest that bupropion may play a significant role in IGD. Additionally, nuclear imaging studies on IGD have demonstrated functional impairment of the dopamine system, providing a neurobiological basis for the efficacy of dopamineenhancing drugs. Among the various psychosocial interventions, current evidence suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy may be an effective intervention for IGD. Cognitive behavioral therapy and bupropion were found to influence resting-state functional connectivity within the cortico-subcortical circuit and default mode network, suggesting a possible neural mechanism. Innovative approaches, including virtual reality treatment, residential camps, voluntary abstinence, and transcranial direct current stimulation, have shown promising results. However, methodological limitations, such as the absence of proper controls, small sample sizes, short duration, inconsistency of inclusion criteria across studies, and self-report measures of outcome, hamper conclusions regarding the efficacy of treatments.
conclusionOngoing basic research and clinical trials overcoming these limitations could add to the existing knowledge on IGD and contribute to the development of evidence-based treatments.
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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 OpenQuestion graph.