Correlation of Internet Addiction Disorder with Level of Stress and BDNF Gene (Val66Met) Polymorphism among Medical Students in Malaysia

Excessive internet usage in university students results not only in psychological but physical problems which lead to deterioration in their academic performance20. [...]the psychological state of university students and their levels of stress may be in a positive relationship with IAD. All the previous studies reported increased oxidative stress and ROS in chronic stress cases66, 67. [...]oxidative stress is a result of several disorders including chronic stress status that can be caused by academic reasons among medical students, and this is not surprising. Studies evidence has proved that the elevated level of stress or corticosterone administration reduces BDNF mRNA expression in the brain91. [...]the brain is sensitive to oxidative stress due to an abundant presence of oxidative stress, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, catalase polyunsaturated fatty acid, deficient antioxidant defense, a high rate of O2 utilisation due to the high metabolic rate, and a high content of transition metals such as copper and iron in several regions, which could lead to the formation of hydroxyl radicals via the Fenton reaction92. A variant BDNF may thus play an important role in genetic predispositions to stress, anxiety, and depressive disorders93. [...]medical students with high levels of stress and IAD may carry BDNF met-allele compared to other students who don't have high levels of stress and IAD those without a BDNF met-allele, and a student who carries BDNF met/met homogenous have higher level of stress and IAD than who carry BDNF met/val heterogeneous.