Diurnal Profiles of the Endocrine Stress Response in Internet Gaming Disorder

Alina Killer; Patrick Köck; Johanna Klar; Stefan Lerch; Julian Koenig; Marialuisa Cavelti; Jochen Kindler; Michael Kaess

doi:10.1159/000541292

Diurnal Profiles of the Endocrine Stress Response in Internet Gaming Disorder

Psychopathology. 2024 Nov 18:1-8. doi: 10.1159/000541292. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Alina Killer¹, Patrick Köck^{1

2}, Johanna Klar^{1

3}, Stefan Lerch¹, Julian Koenig⁴, Marialuisa Cavelti¹, Jochen Kindler^{1

5}, Michael Kaess^{1

6}

Affiliations

¹ University Hospital of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
² Department of Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Clinic Barmelweid, Erlinsbach, Switzerland.
³ Center for Neurology and Rehabilitation, Cereneo, Vitznau, Switzerland.
⁴ Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
⁵ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychiatry Baselland, Liestal, Switzerland.
⁶ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Center for Psychosocial Medicine, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

PMID: 39557034
DOI: 10.1159/000541292

Abstract

Background: Differences in subjective stress perception and acute response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis have been reported in internet gaming disorder (IGD). The present study aimed to further investigate alterations in diurnal profiles of the endocrine stress response system in IGD compared to healthy controls (HCs).

Methods: The diurnal course of endocrine markers (salivary cortisol and α-amylase) was investigated in a clinical sample of n = 29 adolescents with IGD compared to n = 26 HC. Further, the effect of unrestricted gaming versus restricted gaming was examined within the IGD group.

Results: No significant differences in salivary cortisol and α-amylase were observed comparing adolescents with IGD and HC. In addition, in the IGD group, there were no significant differences in salivary cortisol and α-amylase between conditions of unrestricted gaming versus restricted gaming. Compared to the HC group, the IGD group showed a significantly higher body mass index.

Conclusions: Our results indicate no alteration in diurnal profiles of the endocrine stress response in IGD.

Keywords: Amylase; Cortisol; Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis; Internet gaming disorder; Stress.