Internet Gaming Disorder: State of the Art Perturbação de Jogos de Internet: Revisão da Evidência Científica

Abstract

The Internet contributed for the widespread of videogames, allowing its unregulated use. Internet gaming disorder defines the negative impact of said use on functional areas of life. The increasing use of technology heralds higher prevalence of this disorder.
Our objective was to review the state of the art on Internet gaming disorder.
We searched for scientific papers published between January of 2013 and February of 2019 in English, Portuguese and Spanish. The MeSH terms used were “behavior, addictive”, “video games” and “Internet”.
We can conclude that Internet gaming disorder is most prevalent amongst males, and in the Asian continent and North American subcontinent. The main diagnostic criteria have strengthened Internet gaming disorder as a distinct disorder. Neuroimagiologic studies confirm the deficit on executive control areas and reward system. Pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies look promising, though it is not clear if it targets Internet gaming disorder primarily or its comorbidities.