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The Science Behind Loneliness

By Sarah Kirsh

 

We have all experienced that main of prolonged, extreme, or uncomfortable isolation and loneliness. While the COVID-19 lockdowns create an extreme source of isolation, there are several other examples in everyday life. We often hear the term introverts and extroverts, but all humans need human contact and dislike a surplus of time alone. The limit of alone time is simply different for every person and every introvert. Why is it that humans crave being in the company of others and avoid loneliness? Why does this transcend into the “fear of missing out” and an inclination to stay in contact with others?


How does loneliness work in the brain on a biological and psychological level? Gillian Matthews, a researcher at the Imperial College London, looked at neurons in mice before and after isolation. Matthews found that after a social reintroduction the DNR neural pathways and connections grew much stronger. In further research, Matthews joined researcher Kay Tye at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Matthews and Tye dove further into the DNR neural connections and their relation to isolation. The two researchers compared the social interaction levels of mice when the DNR neurons were stimulated versus suppressed. When these neurons were stimulated the mice seemed to become more social. On the other hand, the suppression of the DNR neurons led to less socially active mice. This discovery would prompt the hypothesis that social interaction is necessary to the full functioning of mice neural pathways, thus a requirement of life. Without this stimulation, a negative repercussion could be the feeling of loneliness which many of us felt throughout lockdown.


Another MIT study supported the conclusions of Matthews and Tye. Livia Tomova reviewed the neural activity in participants with different social cues using fMRI scans. After isolation, the participants were shown images of social interactions, and the “cravings” region of the brain lit up. This observation thus finds social interaction comparable to food in its necessity to life. Similar to food, if the human body is not provided what it craves, it will create a negative reaction: loneliness or other health impacts.


Furthermore, humans are social beings and have evolved to be that way. A review of loneliness by Drs. Louise Hawkley and John Cacioppo considered that in earlier ages of human social connections “improve our chances of survival in difficult or hostile environments.” As humans evolved we maintained the neural and hormonal pathways to continue human survival, including the importance of social interaction. As a result, chronic isolation and loneliness lead to impairments in attention, cognition, and behavior. These can eventually have impacts on the organ systems and mortality of humans.


Hopefully, there will never again be mass isolation even such as the COVID-19 lockdowns. As life begins to progress back to normal and vaccinations increase, remember the importance of social interaction. We may have acclimated to a decreased level of social interaction in the pandemic, but social contact is brain food.



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