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Online Gaming Addiction in Men Affects Brain’s Impulse Control
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Researchers using functional MRI (fMRI) have found differences in the brains of men and women who are addicted to online gaming, according to a new study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
“Internet use is an integral part of the daily lives of many young adults, and a loss of control over Internet use could lead to various negative effects,” said the study’s senior author, Yawen Sun, M.D., diagnostic radiologist at the Department of Radiology of Ren Ji Hospital, affiliated with the Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine in Shanghai, China. “Internet gaming disorder has become a major public health concern worldwide among both adolescents and young adults.”
Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is a condition characterized by compulsive playing of online games to the exclusion of other interests. Individuals with IGD often suffer significant impairment or distress and may experience negative effects at work, in school or in relationships because of the amount of time they spend playing. They also show symptoms of withdrawal when not playing.
While some evidence exists that IGD is more prevalent among men, there is little existing research on differences in the structure and function of the brains of men and women with the disorder.
The researchers studied 32 men and 23 women with IGD. They performed resting-state fMRI on the study participants, along with 30 male and 22 female age-matched healthy controls. Resting-state fMRI allows a view of the brain activity when it is not focused on a particular task. The study looked at relationships between brain activity as seen on fMRI and scores on the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11, a commonly used test to assess behavioral inhibition.
The results illuminated key differences between the men and women with IGD. Men with IGD showed alterations in regional- and network-level brain function. In particular, they had lower brain activity in the superior frontal gyrus, an area of the brain’s prefrontal lobe that is important to impulse control. The women with IGD did not exhibit any of these brain alterations.
“Our findings demonstrated that alterations in cerebral activity are observed in men with IGD, but not in women with IGD, and that the lower brain activity in the superior frontal gyrus in men with IGD may be associated with higher impulsivity,” Dr. Sun said.
This and other differences apparent in the study suggest that IGD may interact with gender-specific patterns of brain function in men and women.
Different rates of maturation in men’s and women’s brains could also contribute to gender-specific alterations in IGD, Dr. Sun noted. For instance, the prefrontal cortex, which has a central role in executive function and inhibition, matures later in men.
“Men have shown lower levels of impulse control in comparison with women, and their impulse control also increases more gradually,” she said. “Given the role of inhibitory control in the initiation of IGD, young men may tend to experiment with pathological Internet use to a greater degree than young women do.”
A dysfunctional prefrontal cortex specifically in men with IGD may be associated with high impulsivity, a finding partly consistent with those of previous studies of substance addiction. The research adds to a growing body of literature linking the behavioral problems associated with IGD to those found in individuals with substance abuse issues.
“However, it remains unclear whether the brain functional and structural changes found in IGD are gaming-induced or precursors for vulnerability,” Dr. Sun said. “I think future research should focus on using functional MRI to identify brain susceptibility factors relating to the development of IGD.”
Internet, or online, gaming has grown tremendously over the past decades. It includes social gaming, mobile gaming, and multiplayer gaming, which generates billions of dollars in revenue in the U.S. alone. Recent surveys have reported that there are more than 55 million online console gamers in the U.S. According to data measurement company Nielsen, 162 million people, or roughly half the U.S. population, live in a household with a video game console.
Co-authors are Xu Han, M.D., Yao Wang, Weina Ding, Yan Zhou, Ph.D., and Jianrong Xu.
Note: Copies of RSNA 2018 news releases and electronic images will be available online at RSNA.org/press18 beginning Monday, Nov. 26.
RSNA is an association of over 54,000 radiologists, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and related scientists, promoting excellence in patient care and health care delivery through education, research and technologic innovation. The Society is based in Oak Brook, Ill. (RSNA.org)
Source: Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)
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GGPoker Launches Exclusive Online Satellites To WSOP Circuit Bratislava
Live poker festival hosted at Card Casino Bratislava, Slovakia from August 1 through August 12
GGPoker, the World’s Biggest Poker Room, today announces the launch of online satellite tournaments for the WSOP-C Bratislava €1M-Guaranteed Main Event. This massive tournament headlines the upcoming WSOP Circuit Bratislava poker festival, which runs from August 1 through August 12 at Card Casino Bratislava and will be the sole WSOP-C stop in Slovakia this year.
WSOP-C Gold Ring & €1,000,000 Guaranteed
The WSOP-C Bratislava Main Event features a €1,500 buy-in, and the winning player will take home a coveted WSOP Circuit gold ring in addition to the largest slice of the €1,000,000 guaranteed prize pool.
Players do not need big bankrolls to begin their journey to WSOP Circuit Bratislava. GGPoker qualifiers start at just €1, so a modest investment could win a ticket for the series’ headline event—and maybe even lead to a deep run and that prestigious ring!
Satellites From €1
GGPoker players can qualify via three stages:
- €1 Step leading to
- €15 Step leading to
- €150 Final Phase Satellite
Players can buy in directly to any stage, and each €150 Final Phase Satellite guarantees at least three tickets to the €1,500 Main Event.
“The chance to qualify for the WSOP-C Bratislava Main Event for just €1 is hard to resist,” said Paul Burke, Head of PR at GGPoker. “With GGPoker’s online satellites, you can secure your seat from home and then make the trip to Bratislava for the live stages. We’re thrilled to bring this marquee tournament to Slovakia’s capital for the first time, putting world-class poker on players’ doorstep.”
Satellites are already available in the GGPoker tournament lobby, and the poker community can follow updates from the live festival on WSOP.com and Card Casino Bratislava’s social channels.
To ensure that WSOP Circuit Bratislava players enjoy the best experience possible, the festival will use the new WSOP+ application, which makes event registration, player tracking, and content sharing easier than ever before.
The post GGPoker Launches Exclusive Online Satellites To WSOP Circuit Bratislava appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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GoldenRace’s Social Crash, the feature of engagement
GoldenRace, the leading B2B provider of award-winning Virtual Sports and betting solutions, has announced a major innovation in its Crash Games: a new in-game live chat feature designed to transform solo gaming into shared, interactive experiences.
Crash games have long been synonymous with speed, intensity and instant gratification – but they’ve traditionally lacked a social element. Now, GoldenRace is changing that with a feature that brings real-time interaction to online casinos, turning every session into a community-driven event.
“We wanted to recreate what retail betting has delivered for centuries – a truly social experience – but adapted for the online casinos,” said Martin Wachter, CEO & Founder of GoldenRace. “We’re giving operators the tools to engage more players, build stronger communities and maximise one of the industry’s fastest-growing verticals.”
Research consistently shows that social presence significantly boosts player retention, session duration and brand loyalty – especially among younger audiences who expect interactive, connected experiences.
The new functionality enables a live chat with preset messages, emoji reactions and instant cash-out sharing directly within the game interface. Every interaction is tied to a visible username, allowing players to see and respond to one another’s actions as they happen. Even with the chatbox packed, floating messages and emojis ensure no moment goes unnoticed.
From an operational perspective, the feature is seamless to integrate and manage. All settings are controlled directly from the back office, with no additional technical effort required.
The upgrade is now live across GoldenRace’s most popular Crash titles:
- Meteoroid,
- Fire Crash,
- Jet Escape,
- Boom Ball Juggle
- Danfo Crash.
The post GoldenRace’s Social Crash, the feature of engagement appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Vibra Mines: The Classic Minesweeper Transforms into an Explosive Game of Prizes and Strategy
Keep clicking to uncover stars and boost your winnings… but one wrong move could blow up the game.
Vibra Gaming, the leading game and platform developer for the LatAm market, presents Vibra Mines, a modern and vibrant take on the legendary Minesweeper, where every decision can lead to huge multipliers and guaranteed excitement.
The game unfolds on a configurable grid (3×3, 5×5, 7×7, or 9×9) with hidden tiles. Players can choose how much to bet and how many bombs will be on the board decisions that directly influence the risk level and potential rewards. To win, players click on tiles to reveal stars, increasing their bet multiplier. At any moment, they can choose to cash out and walk away before a bomb is revealed.
The game also includes innovative mechanics that take the excitement to another level. By choosing the number of hidden bombs on the board, players can adjust the difficulty and boost their prize multiplier as the round progresses. Additionally, if a heart appears after triggering a bomb, the game grants an extra life, allowing the player to continue without ending the round. This unique mechanic adds an extra layer of thrill and strategy, as only one extra life can be obtained per round.
Sebastián Caden, Marketing Manager at Vibra Gaming, comments: “With Vibra Mines, we wanted to go back to basics: a simple yet captivating mechanic. It’s a game where intuition and strategy are key, and where every player can choose their own level of risk. We know it’s going to generate huge excitement among players throughout the region.”
The post Vibra Mines: The Classic Minesweeper Transforms into an Explosive Game of Prizes and Strategy appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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