The study explored the immediate impact of internet exposure on the mood and psychological states of internet addicts and low internet-users. Participants were given a battery of psychological tests ...to explore levels of internet addiction, mood, anxiety, depression, schizotypy, and autism traits. They were then given exposure to the internet for 15 min, and re-tested for mood and current anxiety. Internet addiction was associated with long-standing depression, impulsive nonconformity, and autism traits. High internet-users also showed a pronounced decrease in mood following internet use compared to the low internet-users. The immediate negative impact of exposure to the internet on the mood of internet addicts may contribute to increased usage by those individuals attempting to reduce their low mood by re-engaging rapidly in internet use.
Problematic internet use (PIU) has been suggested as in need of further research with a view to being included as a disorder in future Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of the American ...Psychiatric Association, but lack of knowledge about the impact of internet cessation on physiological function remains a major gap in knowledge and a barrier to PIU classification. One hundred and forty-four participants were assessed for physiological (blood pressure and heart rate) and psychological (mood and state anxiety) function before and after an internet session. Individuals also completed a psychometric examination relating to their usage of the internet, as well as their levels of depression and trait anxiety. Individuals who identified themselves as having PIU displayed increases in heart rate and systolic blood pressure, as well as reduced mood and increased state of anxiety, following cessation of internet session. There were no such changes in individuals with no self-reported PIU. These changes were independent of levels of depression and trait anxiety. These changes after cessation of internet use are similar to those seen in individuals who have ceased using sedative or opiate drugs, and suggest PIU deserves further investigation and serious consideration as a disorder.
•Internet addiction across the broad autism phenotype was investigated.•An association between both autism and internet addiction was found.•Individuals with autism traits had less internet addiction ...if they had anxiety.•Anxiety may alter internet use function and reduces internet addiction probability.
This study investigated internet addiction across the broad autism phenotype, and assessed the degree to which internet addiction in individuals with higher autism quotient scores may be mediated by co-morbid depression and anxiety. Ninety participants were given a range of psychometric assessments to determine their level of problematic internet usage (Internet Addiction Test), autism traits (Autism Quotient Scale), depression (Beck Depression Inventory), and anxiety (Speilberger Trait Anxiety Scale). Significant associations were found between both autism, and anxiety, and internet addiction. However, the association between autism traits and internet addiction was moderated by high level for anxiety, such that individuals with high numbers of autism traits showed less evidence of internet addiction if they also displayed high levels of anxiety. It is suggested that the presence of anxiety in these individuals alters the function that internet behavior serves, and makes internet addiction less likely.
The current study assessed the relationship between problematic internet behaviors, as measured by the Internet Addiction Test (IAT), and schizotypal personality traits, measured by the ...Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings and Experiences (O-LIFE(B)). One hundred participants (aged between 20 and 30) were given a battery of psychometric assessments, including the IAT and O-LIFE(B), as well as measures of depression, and anxiety. Around 30% of the sample displayed responses to the IAT that suggested some problems controlling internet behaviors, and there was no gender difference in these figures. There were associations between both the impulsive nonconformity and introverted anhedonia schizotypal personality traits and problematic internet use, over and above those associated with depression and anxiety. This replicates some previous work that implies that impulsiveness and depression are predictive of behavioral addictions, but places them within a single construct. The findings also support the notion of two groups of users who display problematic internet behaviors – impulsive and depressed individuals.
•Assessed the relationship between internet use and schizotypal personality traits.•30% of the sample displayed some problems controlling internet behaviors.•No gender differences in internet problems were noted.•Impulsive nonconformity and introverted anhedonia correlated with internet problems.•This implies impulsiveness and depression predict behavioral addictions.
•The impact of internet exposure on the impulsiveness was explored.•Participants were exposed to a choice assessment before and after an internet session.•10–20% of the sample had internet-addiction ...problems.•High internet-users displayed greater impulsivity after an internet.
The current study explored the impact of internet exposure on the impulsivity of individuals who reported higher or lower levels of problematic internet behaviours. Levels of problematic internet use in 60 individuals were measured using the Internet Addiction Test. Participants were exposed to a choice assessment, in which they could choose between a small immediately-delivered outcome (impulsive), a medium-sized outcome with a medium delay (optimal), and a larger longer-delayed outcome (self-controlled). They were given 15min access to the internet, and finally were presented with the choice test again. Of the sample, 28% (17/60) had internet-problems, with no difference being found between male and female rates of problematic internet use. Those reporting higher levels of internet-problems displayed no greater impulsive behaviours, prior to internet exposure, than those reporting fewer problems. After internet exposure, higher-problem users displayed greater impulsivity, reflected by a move from self-controlled to impulsive choices. These findings suggest that individuals reporting internet-related problems become more impulsive after exposure to the internet.
To examine the impact of cessation of an internet session on skin conductance responses and anxiety of higher and lower problem internet users, in order to explore possible physiological withdrawal ...effects.
Participants were measured in terms of their skin conductance before (15min), during (15min), and after (15min) an internet session, and completed self-report measures of state anxiety and problematic internet use.
Higher, but not lower, problem users showed increased skin conductance after internet use was stopped, relative to before their internet session. Higher problem users' GSR scores increased, as the time from internet cessation became longer. Higher problem users also showed increased levels of anxiety, following their internet session, which correlated with their skin conductance scores.
These results suggest that, following termination of an internet session, withdrawal-like effects are seen, both psychologically and physiologically.
•The impact of internet-cessation on skin conductance and anxiety was studied.•Participants' skin conductance was measured before, during, and after an internet session.•Problem users showed increased skin conductance after internet cessation.•Problem users had increased anxiety after internet cessation correlated with GSR.•These results suggest termination of an internet session produces withdrawal-like effects.
This study examined whether exposure to the Internet could create a preference for colors associated with visited Web sites and explored the possible relationship with self-reported problematic ...Internet use and Internet deprivation.
100 adult participants were divided into 2 groups; one was deprived access to the Internet for 4 hours, and the other was not. After this period, they were asked to choose a color and complete a series of psychometric questionnaires concerning mood (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule), anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), and depression (Beck Depression Inventory). They were then given a 15-minute exposure to the Internet, and the Web sites they visited were recorded. They were then asked to again choose a color, complete the same psychometric questionnaires, and complete the Internet Addiction Test. The study was conducted between November 2013 and April 2014.
For Internet-deprived, but not nondeprived, subjects, a reduction of mood and increased anxiety was noted in the higher problematic Internet users following Web cessation. There was also a shift toward choosing the color most prominent on the visited Web sites in these participants. No shift in mood, or toward choosing the dominant Web site color, was seen in the lower problem users.
These findings suggest that the Internet can serve as a negative reinforcer for behavior in higher problem users and that the reinforcement obtained from the alleviation of withdrawal symptoms becomes conditioned, with the color and appearance of the visited Web sites giving them a more positive value.
Epithelial ovarian tumors (EOT) are among the most lethal of malignancies in women. We have previously identified ZIC2 as expressed at a higher level in samples of a malignant form (MAL) of EOT than ...in samples of a form with low malignant potential (LMP). We have now investigated the role of ZIC2 in driving tumor growth and its association with clinical outcomes.
ZIC2 expression levels were analyzed in two independent tumor tissue collections of LMP and MAL. In vitro experiments aimed to test the role of ZIC2 as a transforming gene. Cox models were used to correlate ZIC2 expression with clinical endpoints.
ZIC2 expression was about 40-fold in terms of mRNA and about 17-fold in terms of protein in MAL (n = 193) versus LMP (n = 39) tumors. ZIC2 mRNA levels were high in MAL cell lines but undetectable in LMP cell lines. Overexpression of ZIC2 was localized to the nucleus. ZIC2 overexpression increases the growth rate and foci formation of NIH3T3 cells and stimulates anchorage-independent colony formation; downregulation of ZIC2 decreases the growth rate of MAL cell lines. Zinc finger domains 1 and 2 are required for transforming activity. In stage I MAL, ZIC2 expression was significantly associated with overall survival in both univariate (P = 0.046) and multivariate model (P = 0.049).
ZIC2, a transcription factor related to the sonic hedgehog pathway, is a strong discriminant between MAL and LMP tumors: it may be a major determinant of outcome of EOTs.
It has recently been reported that a large proportion of human malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) cell lines and patient tissue samples present high expression of the c‐MYC oncogene. This gene ...drives several tumorigenic processes and is overexpressed in many cancers. Although c‐MYC is a strategic target to restrain cancer processes, no drugs acting as c‐MYC inhibitors are available. The novel thienotriazolodiazepine small‐molecule bromodomain inhibitor OTX015/MK‐8628 has shown potent antiproliferative activity accompanied by c‐MYC downregulation in several tumor types. This study was designed to evaluate the growth inhibitory effect of OTX015 on patient‐derived MPM473, MPM487 and MPM60 mesothelioma cell lines and its antitumor activity in three patient‐derived xenograft models, MPM473, MPM487 and MPM484, comparing it with cisplatin, gemcitabine and pemetrexed, three agents which are currently used to treat MPM in the clinic. OTX015 caused a significant delay in cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. It was the most effective drug in MPM473 xenografts and showed a similar level of activity as the most efficient treatment in the other two MPM models (gemcitabine in MPM487 and cisplatin in MPM484). In vitro studies showed that OTX015 downregulated c‐MYC protein levels in both MPM473 and MPM487 cell lines. Our findings represent the first evidence of promising therapeutic activity of OTX015 in mesothelioma.
What's new?
A large proportion of human malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) cell lines and patient tissue samples present high expression of the c‐MYC oncogene. While no drugs acting as c‐MYC inhibitors are available to date, the novel BET inhibitor OTX015/MK‐8628 has shown potent antiproliferative activity accompanied by c‐MYC downregulation in several tumor types. Here, the authors present the first evidence of antitumor activity of OTX015 in three novel patient‐derived MPM xenograft models, all showing significant delays in tumor growth. Downregulated c‐MYC protein levels were observed following OTX015 in vitro exposure. OTX015 may thus represent a promising therapeutic approach for MPM.
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