Neuroimaging the effects of smartphone (over-)use on brain function and structure-a review on the current state of MRI-based findings and a roadmap for future research

Altered functional brain networks in problematic smartphone and social media use: resting-state fMRI study

Nowadays, the limitless availability to the World Wide Web can lead to general Internet misuse and dependence. Currently, smartphone and social media use belong to the most prevalent Internet-related behavioral addiction forms. However, the neurobiological background of these Internet-related behavioral addictions is not sufficiently explored. In this study, these addiction forms were assessed with self-reported questionnaires. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging was acquired for all participants (n = 59, 29 males) to examine functional brain networks. The resting-state networks that were discovered using independent component analysis were analyzed to estimate within network differences. Significant negative associations with social media addiction and smartphone addiction were found in the language network, the lateral visual networks, the auditory network, the sensorimotor network, the executive network and the frontoparietal network. These results suggest that problematic smartphone and social media use are associated with sensory processing and higher cognitive functioning.

Unlocking the brain secrets of social media through neuroscience

Neuroscientific buzzwords, such as 'brain hacks', have become commonplace when discussing social media (SM)-platform engineering. Despite societal debates, few studies have used neuroscientific approaches to validate the claims empirically. We call here for a transformative shift engaging scientists and other stakeholders to address this critical knowledge gap.

Fear of missing out (FOMO) associates with reduced cortical thickness in core regions of the posterior default mode network and higher levels of problematic smartphone and social media use

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Fear of missing out (FOMO) promotes the desire or urge to stay continuously connected with a social reference group and updated on their activities, which may result in escalating and potentially addictive smartphone and social media use. The present study aimed to determine whether the neurobiological basis of FOMO encompasses core regions of the reward circuitry or social brain, and associations with levels of problematic smartphone or social media use.

METHODS

We capitalized on a dimensional neuroimaging approach to examine cortical thickness and subcortical volume associations in a sample of healthy young individuals (n = 167). Meta-analytic network and behavioral decoding analyses were employed to further characterize the identified regions.

RESULTS

Higher levels of FOMO associated with lower cortical thickness in the right precuneus. In contrast, no associations between FOMO and variations in striatal morphology were observed. Meta-analytic decoding revealed that the identified precuneus region exhibited a strong functional interaction with the default mode network (DMN) engaged in social cognitive and self-referential domains.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Together the present findings suggest that individual variations in FOMO are associated with the brain structural architecture of the right precuneus, a core hub within a large-scale functional network resembling the DMN and involved in social and self-referential processes. FOMO may promote escalating social media and smartphone use via social and self-referential processes rather than reward-related processes per se.