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One is the loneliest number.
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Hey, everyone, Crystal here for DNews.
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I don't care how much Netflix and ice cream you consume.
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Being alone for long periods of time just sucks!
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It makes us sad, eats away at our self-esteem and our immune system, makes us more susceptible to chronic diseases, and it might even shorten our lifespan.
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But could loneliness actually be a good thing?
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Loneliness is the emotional state that arises from perceived isolation.
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Like hunger, thirst, and pain, loneliness is an "aversive cue," a negative feeling that we want to move away from.
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Think of it as an evolutionary mechanism that says, "Hey, you're in danger and your friends could help you."
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Humans evolved to be social animals; groups provide protection and shared resources that help us survive.
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When it comes to gathering food, building shelters, and defending themselves, communities of humans have a much better chance of survival than individuals do.
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And so, scientists say, we evolved a "need to belong."
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In fact, loneliness may have been so important for survival that we evolved a unique set of neurons in our brains dedicated to it.
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In a paper recently published in the journal, Cell, neuroscientists at MIT identified a region of the mouse brain that is uniquely responsive to isolation.
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The researchers used a technique called optogenetics, in which light is used to activate or inhibit selected groups of neurons in a modified rodent brain,
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To manipulate a cluster of dopamine-sensitive neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus, which is a region of the mouse's brain that's been associated with depression.
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For now, we'll call this special set of cells "loneliness neurons".
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In this study, researchers introduced a lonely experimental mouse to a new mouse friend, and observed a significant increase in activity of the "loneliness neurons".
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Then, they gave the mouse a choice between spending time alone or with another mouse, and studied how optogenetic stimulation of the "loneliness neurons" influenced the mouse's choice.
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Activation of those neurons caused the mouse to spend significantly more time with a mousy companion, indicating that when those neurons fire, mice seek out social interaction.
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But was the mouse's choice motivated by positive reward or a negative experience?
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To determine this, scientists let mice roam around in a box that contained two areas.
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When the mouse spent time in one area, its "loneliness neurons" were stimulated, and while in the other area, they were not.
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Interestingly, the mice avoided the stimulating area, indicating that the activation didn't make them feel very good.
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This observation led researchers to suggest that activity in this brain region might be connected to a loneliness-like state that motivates mice to seek out social contact to feel better.
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These findings reinforce the evolutionary view that loneliness is actually a good thing.
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Because it encourages us to seek social contact and, in turn, keeps us healthier and safer.
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Even just in this study, there's so much more to the story, and if the research is extrapolated to humans,
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It could not only help to explain motivations behind our own feelings and behavior, but also help us study what happens when those things go awry.
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But before we all get too excited, the neuroscientist in me must extend a note of caution:
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It's important to remember that human brains and mouse brains are similar in some ways, but not the same.
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And mice do not display identical social behaviors to humans.
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But for now, since we can't manipulate human brains the way we do with mice, we have to make do with what we learn from rodents,
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And hope that somebody gave those lonely mice a hug and some tiny ice cream,
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And told them that they're terrific and it's going to be okay,
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And somebody will love you for who you are, and you will never be lonely again…
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Sorry.
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If I haven't managed to convince you to stop staring at this screen and seek some social contact,
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Check out this video by Laci on how loneliness can kill you.
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More people are living alone now, people are working longer and longer hours, they're working remotely, they're traveling far and wide for jobs...
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People are using social media more to connect, and folks argue back and forth, is it good, is it bad?
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Is it bringing us together, tearing us apart... and everyone has different experience. Personally, I found it's good and bad.
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What about you? How do you deal with loneliness? Subscribe to DNews and let us know in the comments down below. See you next time!
