Dissociable neural processes during risky decision-making in individuals with Internet-gaming disorder☆

Abstract Risk-taking is purported to be central to addictive behaviors. However, for Internet gaming disorder (IGD), a condition conceptualized as a behavioral addiction, the neural processes underlying impaired decision-making (risk evaluation and outcome processing) related to gains and losses have not been systematically investigated. Forty-one males with IGD and 27 healthy comparison (HC) male participants were recruited, and the cups task was used to identify neural processes associated with gain- and loss-related risk- and outcome-processing in IGD. During risk evaluation, the IGD group, compared to the HC participants, showed weaker modulation for experienced risk within the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) ( t  = − 4.07; t  = − 3.94; P FWE t  = − 4.08; t  = − 4.08; P FWE r  = − 0.55; r  = − 0.61; r  = − 0.51; P FWE t  = 5.04, P FWE r  = 0.51, P FWE