Neurophysiological mechanisms of resilience as a protective factor in patients with internet gaming disorder: A resting-state EEG coherence study

Abstract

Background: Resilience, an important protective factor against Internet gaming disorder (IGD), is the ability to recover from negative emotional experiences and constitutes a flexible adaptation to stress. Despite the importance of resilience in predicting IGD, little is known about the relationships between resilience and the neurophysiological features of IGD patients. Methods: We investigated these relationships using resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) coherence, by comparing IGD patients (n = 35) to healthy controls (n = 36). To identify the resilience-related EEG features, the IGD patients were divided into two groups based on the 50th percentile score on the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale: IGD with low resilience (n = 16) and IGD with high resilience (n = 19). We analyzed differences in EEG coherence among groups for each fast frequency band. The conditional indirect effects of resilience were examined on the relationships between IGD and resilience-related EEG features through clinical symptoms. Results: IGD patients with low resilience had higher alpha coherence in the right hemisphere. Particularly, resilience moderated the indirect effects of IGD on alpha coherence in the right hemisphere through depressive symptoms and stress level. Conclusion: These neurophysiological findings regarding the mechanisms underlying resilience may help to establish effective preventive measures against IGD.