Medical expert of the article
New publications
Internet addiction is genetically determined
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Experts from the University of Bonn, led by the author of the study, Dr. Christian Montag, claim that Internet addiction is not a figment of our imagination, but a nervous disorder that causes an irresistible urge to wander through the Internet. According to statistics, Internet addicts spend 32 hours a week at the computer, losing their sense of time and reality.
Over the past few years, scientists have surveyed 843 people. Their goal was to find out how “confused” users are on the World Wide Web.
It turned out that 132 men and women have problematic relationships with the Internet. Online communication has completely replaced real life for them, their thoughts do not stop revolving around the Internet during the day, and if they suddenly have to spend some time without access to the network, their health deteriorates significantly. In addition, there is a partial or complete refusal of direct contacts in the family and society.
Internet addicts are more likely to have genetic changes called copy number variations. In addition, it turns out that Internet addicts are much more likely to have a gene mutation that can cause nicotine addiction. It is quite possible that Internet addiction and cigarette addiction are similar in nature.
"What we know about the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor in the brain is that mutations in its gene lead to behavioral disorders and change a person's mental state, after which the fact of physical and mental dependence is recorded," explains Dr. Montag. "Nicotine from tobacco, like acetylcholine produced by our body, is a kind of key to this receptor." The doctor concludes that Internet addiction has the same nature as nicotine addiction.
The female body is more often subject to this mutation, and accordingly, Internet addiction is more pronounced in the fairer sex.
However, this statement needs to be supported by further, more detailed research in this area, because most previous studies of this problem have proven the opposite. The results of earlier studies showed a greater dependence on the Internet in men than in women.
Dr. Montag also believes that in the course of studying the nature of Internet addiction, a certain subgroup of Internet addicts may emerge, namely those addicted to social networks.
[