Disrupted brain functional networks in adolescents and young adults with gaming disorder during social interaction: An fNIRS study

BACKGROUND: Gaming disorder (GD) is increasingly recognized for its adverse impact on social functioning, yet the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear, particularly during real-time social interactions. This study examined neural differences in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and temporoparietal junction (TPJ) during cooperation and competition tasks in adolescents and young adults with GD. METHODS: Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we examined 175 male participants, classified into Gaming Disorder (n = 42), Hazardous Gaming (n = 69), and Healthy Control (n = 64) groups. Participants performed cooperation and competition tasks while activation, functional connectivity, and network topology were assessed within the PFC and TPJ. RESULTS: In the current study, GD participants exhibited significantly greater impairments in social and emotional functioning compared to the HG and HC groups. The GD group showed increased right TPJ activation during cooperation and decreased activation during competition. Both GD and HG groups demonstrated heightened medial PFC activation and functional connectivity, indicating compensatory engagement. Graph theory analysis revealed disrupted network topology in GD, including reduced nodal efficiency and centrality within the PFC and TPJ. Neural alterations were significantly correlated with clinical measures, including gaming duration and social-emotional deficits. CONCLUSION: This study identifies critical neural disruptions underlying social dysfunction in GD, particularly within mentalizing and executive control networks. The neural markers observed in the GD group have important implications for clinical diagnosis and targeted intervention, whereas similar patterns in the HG group highlight opportunities for early detection and preventive strategies.