sereznly / Depositphotos
Living together can not only reduce stress, but even prevent serious heart problems, which can lead to death.
Human beings are inherently social. Connection, communication and shared experiences help shape our identity and foster a sense of belonging. However, points out , in an increasingly digital and fast-paced world, feelings of loneliness and social isolation have become alarmingly common.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that these feelings are widespread. About 25% of elderly people suffer from and 5% to 15% of teenagers feel lonely.
These numbers are important, as published studies have shown that social isolation and loneliness are associated with a higher risk of illness and death. In fact, a study by The Conversation in 2022 concluded that Social isolation in older people implied a 26% greater risk of developing dementia. We also found that loneliness was associated with depression.
The objective was to follow up on our previous study, understanding the biological processes underlying this link between social isolation and loneliness and health. Why is loneliness so bad for our body and mind?
Explore proteins
Let us focus on proteomicsthe study of proteins. This is because we know that proteins play a role in gene expression, the process by which information encoded in a gene is transformed into biological activity. Proteins are also an important source of targets for drug development.
In this collaborative study between the University of Cambridge and Fudan University, published in , The Conversation used data from 42,062 participants from the UK Biobank and studied 2,920 plasma proteins.
The association between proteins and self-reported loneliness and social isolation was then investigated. We found that proteins significantly associated with loneliness and social isolation are also known to be implicated in inflammationas well as antiviral and immunological responses.
In particular, the study suggested that Loneliness can lead to increased levels of five specific proteins expressed in the brain (known as GFRA1, ADM, FABP4, TNFRSF10A and ASGR1). In other words, all of the proteins we identified as related to loneliness were “positively associated”meaning that people who feel lonely tend to have higher protein levels compared to those who don’t feel lonely.
Data that followed the participants’ health for around 14 years were also studied. The researchers found that more than half of the proteins were associated with cardiovascular diseasetype 2 diabetes, stroke and death.
Based on the new findings, Having good social relationships and not feeling alone can promote health by reducing levels of certain harmful proteins. However, proteins can only partially explain the link between loneliness and health. Other potential pathways, such as social stress, may also play an important role.
To our knowledge, this may be the first demonstration of comLoneliness affects mortality through its association with these five key proteins.
Social impacts
Social isolation and loneliness affect all ages and genders and lead to serious physical and mental health problems. This study helps understand how this happens on a biological level.
Demonstrates the importance of connecting with other people through social activities, for example, volunteering or team sports. This may reduce the effects of social isolation and loneliness on underlying biological processes important for health outcomes.
Although the technology offer new ways to stay in touch, can sometimes lead to superficial connections that leave us feeling more disconnected than ever. This paradox—being surrounded by digital interactions but feeling profoundly lonely—underscores the importance of deep, meaningful social connections.
Face-to-face social interactions, in which there is also nonverbal communication, often foster better connections. In fact, another showed that partners who communicate face to face have more positive impressions than people interacting through a computer.
Social interactions are ultimately essential to our well-being, improving physical and mental health. To the Social connections reduce stress, lower blood pressure and support immune function. They also reinforce the cognitive health and improve brain health. Furthermore, they can foster empathy and understanding, strengthening our minds and providing emotional resilience.
It is clear that to foster a flourishing society, we need to create meaningful connections between us.
