7. Conclusion

The goal for this review was to summarise the current literature on functional connectivity changes in adolescents with internet addiction. The findings answered the primary research questions that were directed at functional connectivity alterations within several networks of the adolescent brain and how that influenced their behaviour and development. Overall, the research demonstrated several wide-ranging effects that influenced the default mode network, executive control network, salience network and reward centres. Additionally, the findings gave ground to important details such as the maturation of the adolescent brain, the high prevalence of Asian originated studies, and the importance of task-based studies in this field. The process of making this review allowed for a thorough understanding Internet Addiction and adolescent brain interactions.

Given the influx of technology and media in the lives and education of children and adolescents, an increase in prevalence and focus on internet related behavioural changes is imperative towards future children/adolescent mental health. Events such as COVID-19 act to expose the consequences of extended internet usage on the development and lifestyle of specifically young people. While it is important for parents and older generations to be wary of these changes, it is important for them to develop a base understanding of the issue and not dismiss it as an all-bad or all-good scenario. Future research on Internet Addiction will aim to better understand the causal relationship between Internet Addiction and psychological symptoms that coincide with it. The current literature regarding functional connectivity changes in adolescents is limited and requires future studies to test with larger sample sizes, comorbid populations, and populations outside Far East Asia.

This review aimed to demonstrate the inner workings of how Internet Addiction alters the connection between the primary behavioural networks in the adolescent brain. Predictably, the present answers merely paint an unfinished picture that does not necessarily depict internet usage as overwhelmingly positive or negative. Alternatively, the research points towards emerging patterns that can direct individuals on the consequences of certain variables or risk factors. A clearer depiction of the mechanisms of Internet Addiction would allow physicians to screen and treat the onset of Internet Addiction more effectively. Clinically, this could be in the form of more streamlined and accurate sessions of CBT or family therapy, targeting key symptoms of Internet Addiction. Alternatively clinicians could potentially prescribe treatment such as bupropion to target functional connectivity in certain regions of the brain.

Furthermore, parental education on Internet Addiction is another possible avenue of prevention from a public health standpoint. Parents who are aware of the early signs and onset of Internet Addiction will more effectively handle screen time, impulsivity, and minimize the risk factors surrounding Internet Addiction. Additionally, an increased attention towards internet related fMRI research is needed in the West, as mentioned previously. Despite cultural differences, Western countries may hold similarities to the eastern countries with a high prevalence of Internet Addiction, like China and Korea, regarding the implications of the internet and Internet Addiction.

The increasing influence of the internet on the world may contribute to an overall increase in the global prevalence of Internet Addiction. Nonetheless, the high saturation of eastern studies in this field should be replicated with a Western sample to determine if the same functional connectivity alterations occur. A growing interest in internet related research and education within the West will hopefully lead to the knowledge of healthier internet habits and coping strategies among parents with children and adolescents. Furthermore, Internet Addiction research has the potential to become a crucial proxy for which to study adolescent brain maturation and development.