Left Hippocampus to Anterior Cingulate Cortex Connectivity Correlates with Worse Recent Verbal Memory in Pornography Addicted Juveniles

Background and aims Imperil by the convenience of information and knowledge access, children exposed to pornography have worsened. As such, this study aims to gain insight into brain connectivity and cognitive function effect of pornography addiction in juveniles, as the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to specifically learn about memory function in juvenile’s pornography addiction. Methods We screened 30 juveniles with 4 dropouts (13 non-addiction vs 13 addiction group). Subjects underwent neuropsychiatric tests (memory, attention, and intelligence) and fMRI image acquisition. We carried correlation analysis of brain connectivity and neuropsychiatric test results. Results Significant disconnection between left hippocampus to ACC (Z-transformed r-value, non-addiction vs addiction = 0.07 ± 0.19 vs −0.08 ± 0.17, p=0.04, cohen d=0.83) followed by worse verbal recent memory in pornography addicted juveniles (RAVLT A6 sub-score, p < 0.01, d=0.67; A7 sub-score, p=0.01). Attention and intelligence test resulted to insignificant correlation. Discussion This data-driven analysis result strongly promotes the involvement of cortico-subcortical systems in pornography addiction, emphasizing the role of reward system pathology, indifferent to addiction pathophysiology in general. Decline in working memory, which are maintained by corticolimbic network, including hippocampus and ACC, affects goal-oriented behaviour greatly. This, correspond to our significant result of addiction group’s decline in memory, regardless of its association with attention and intelligence. Conclusion Disconnection between left hippocampus to ACC suggested similar neurobiological abnormalities as seen on other addictive disorders. Its disconnection was also correlated with worse verbal recent memory in pornography addicted juveniles, without affecting attention and intelligence, results showed. * ACC : Anterior Cingulate Cortex ASAM : American Society of Addiction Medicine dACC : Dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex DMN : Default Mode Network fMRI : Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging FOV : Field of View ICA : Independent Component Analysis MCC : Midcingulate Cortex MNI : Montreal Neurological Institute NFC : Negative Functional Connectivity PCC : Posterior Cingulate Cortex PFC : Prefrontal Cortex RAVLT : Ray Auditory Verbal Learning Test ROCFT : Ray-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test ROI : Region of Interest TE : Echo Time TMT : Trail Making Test TR : Repetition Time WISC IQ : Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children for IQ YKBH : Yayasan Kita Dan Buah Hati