Any analysts studying crackberry users and other ‘internet addictions’?

I’m looking for industry analysts who are studying digital media impacts on brain development in children, and internet addiction. I’m fairly keen to find out which analysts are studying these issues and providing fact-based guidance to organizations and consumers. If you are one, or know of one, please post a comment here or contact me directly.

To better explain:

Multi-tasking and normal brain patterns: I vaguely recall hearing at a Forrester IT Forum some years ago that the millenials’ brains are wired differently than previous generations, and this is a direct result of exposure to digital content/devices during their formative years. In other words, the impacts are not limited to behaviour, they’re cooked into the brain itself. Or not. Who’s studying that? And, if true, can that generation truly “multitask” as a result of differences?

Internet addiction and abnormal brain patterns: Do you know of studies showing whether internet addiction — including use of online gaming, mobile communications devices, email — is a growing problem in the workplace and/or in the general population? Who’s looking at addiction rates and best practices for employers and family members — by industry, job, age, or other demographic — or by mobile device/service type?

Through Yankee’s Web site, I did track down a recent article, “Power messaging users may be mentally ill?” at TelecomTV, based on an editorial by Jerald J. Block, M.D., in the American Journal of Psychiatry*.

Dr. Block describes internet addiction as encompassing:

excessive use, often associated with a loss of sense of time or a neglect of basic drives;

withdrawal, including feelings of anger, tension, and/or depression when the computer is inaccessible;

tolerance, including the need for better computer equipment, more software, or more hours of use;

negative repercussions, including arguments, lying, poor achievement, social isolation, and fatigue.

(* Am J Psychiatry 165:306-307, March 2008; doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2007.07101556)