Poster Preview
Internet addiction in adolescents causes behavioral changes and cognitive impairments, which can affect brain regions involved in attention, memory, and impulse control. These issues can impact cognitive development during adolescence. This study discusses the behavioral changes linked to internet addiction and their effects on cognitive outcomes in adolescents. Although attention, memory, and impulsivity problems are associated with internet addiction, the specific behaviors related to cognitive impairment and brain function are not clearly identified. To evaluate the association between behavioral patterns linked to internet addiction and neurocognitive outcomes in adolescents, a comprehensive literature review was performed through PubMed with the following key words: “behavioral factors,” “internet addiction,” “adolescents,” yielding 761 articles. Articles were then screened to include studies between 2021 and 2026 that focused on neuropsychological functions, resulting in 79 articles being included in the final review. These articles consisted of neuroimaging research, EEG studies, and behavioral assessments to find the effect of internet addiction on neural activity and cognitive functioning in adolescents. In the 79 articles reviewed, adolescents showed inhibition of working memory, attention allocation, and executive control deficits appeared throughout the literature. Neuroimaging revealed reduced prefrontal connectivity and dysregulation in salience and reward circuits. Stress, emotional dysregulation, sleep disturbance, and elevated reward sensitivity further intensified addiction risk. The literature indicates that adolescent internet addiction is associated with measurable neurocognitive disruptions and behavioral vulnerabilities. These findings highlight the importance of early prevention and intervention strategies, while future research should investigate causal mechanisms and targeted neurocognitive treatments.
College
University of South Florida
Mentor Information
Dr. Hector Gomez
Description
Internet addiction in adolescents causes behavioral changes and cognitive impairments, which can affect brain regions involved in attention, memory, and impulse control. These issues can impact cognitive development during adolescence. This study discusses the behavioral changes linked to internet addiction and their effects on cognitive outcomes in adolescents. Although attention, memory, and impulsivity problems are associated with internet addiction, the specific behaviors related to cognitive impairment and brain function are not clearly identified. To evaluate the association between behavioral patterns linked to internet addiction and neurocognitive outcomes in adolescents, a comprehensive literature review was performed through PubMed with the following key words: “behavioral factors,” “internet addiction,” “adolescents,” yielding 761 articles. Articles were then screened to include studies between 2021 and 2026 that focused on neuropsychological functions, resulting in 79 articles being included in the final review. These articles consisted of neuroimaging research, EEG studies, and behavioral assessments to find the effect of internet addiction on neural activity and cognitive functioning in adolescents. In the 79 articles reviewed, adolescents showed inhibition of working memory, attention allocation, and executive control deficits appeared throughout the literature. Neuroimaging revealed reduced prefrontal connectivity and dysregulation in salience and reward circuits. Stress, emotional dysregulation, sleep disturbance, and elevated reward sensitivity further intensified addiction risk. The literature indicates that adolescent internet addiction is associated with measurable neurocognitive disruptions and behavioral vulnerabilities. These findings highlight the importance of early prevention and intervention strategies, while future research should investigate causal mechanisms and targeted neurocognitive treatments.
Neurophysiological Findings in Adolescent Internet Addiction
Internet addiction in adolescents causes behavioral changes and cognitive impairments, which can affect brain regions involved in attention, memory, and impulse control. These issues can impact cognitive development during adolescence. This study discusses the behavioral changes linked to internet addiction and their effects on cognitive outcomes in adolescents. Although attention, memory, and impulsivity problems are associated with internet addiction, the specific behaviors related to cognitive impairment and brain function are not clearly identified. To evaluate the association between behavioral patterns linked to internet addiction and neurocognitive outcomes in adolescents, a comprehensive literature review was performed through PubMed with the following key words: “behavioral factors,” “internet addiction,” “adolescents,” yielding 761 articles. Articles were then screened to include studies between 2021 and 2026 that focused on neuropsychological functions, resulting in 79 articles being included in the final review. These articles consisted of neuroimaging research, EEG studies, and behavioral assessments to find the effect of internet addiction on neural activity and cognitive functioning in adolescents. In the 79 articles reviewed, adolescents showed inhibition of working memory, attention allocation, and executive control deficits appeared throughout the literature. Neuroimaging revealed reduced prefrontal connectivity and dysregulation in salience and reward circuits. Stress, emotional dysregulation, sleep disturbance, and elevated reward sensitivity further intensified addiction risk. The literature indicates that adolescent internet addiction is associated with measurable neurocognitive disruptions and behavioral vulnerabilities. These findings highlight the importance of early prevention and intervention strategies, while future research should investigate causal mechanisms and targeted neurocognitive treatments.
