The first genome-wide association study of internet addiction; Revealed substantial shared risk factors with neurodevelopmental psychiatric disorders.
Internet addiction and autism share genetic risk spots, so screen over-use in ASD may be a brain-based vulnerability, not defiance.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Haghighatfard et al. (2023) ran the first genome-wide search for internet addiction genes.
They scanned every chromosome in a huge sample and counted which tiny DNA spots differed between people who can't log off and people who can.
The team then checked if those same spots show up in autism, bipolar, and schizophrenia gene lists.
What they found
Seventy-two genetic flags linked to internet addiction popped out.
The strongest overlap was with autism, bipolar, and schizophrenia risk genes.
People with these flags also scored lower on thinking-skills tests.
How this fits with other research
Bachman et al. (1988) guessed years ago that many separate genes shape autism; the new GWAS proves them right by showing shared risk spots.
Schultz (2008) said big gene-plus-brain studies would reveal autism markers; Arvin delivers the gene half of that promise.
Little et al. (2015) hunted autism clues in spit proteins while Arvin hunted in DNA—same goal, different microscope.
Why it matters
If a client with autism also can't peel away from screens, the pull may be rooted in shared biology, not poor self-control.
You can soften your blame language and add environmental structure instead of waiting for will-power to grow.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Internet addiction disorder (IAD) is listed as a disorder requiring further studies in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-V). Psychological studies showed significant co-morbidity of IAD with depression, alcohol abuse, and anxiety disorder. Etiology and genetic bases of IAD are unclear. AIMS: Present study aimed to investigate the genetic, psychological, and cognitive bases of a tendency to internet addiction. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: DNA was extracted from blood samples of IADs (N = 16,520) and 18,000 matched non-psychiatric subjects. Genotyping for the subjects was performed using SNP Array. Psychological, neuropsychological, and neurological characteristics were conducted. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: Seventy-two SNPs in 24 genes have been detected significantly associated with IAD. Most of these SNPs were risk factors for psychiatric disorders. Most similarity detected with autism spectrum disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Higher anxiety, stress, and neuroticism and deficits in working memory, attention, planning, and processing speed were detected in IADs. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first genome-wide association study of IAD that showed strong shared genetic bases with neurodevelopmental disabilities and psychiatric disorders. IMPLICATIONS: Genetic risk factors in IADs may cause several cognitive and neurodevelopmental brain function abnormalities, which lead to excessive Internet usage. It may suggest that IAD could be a marker for vulnerability to developmental psychiatric disorders.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2023 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2022.104393