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Brain structure links loneliness to social perception.

ABSTRACT: Loneliness is the distressing feeling associated with the perceived absence of satisfying social relationships. Loneliness is increasingly prevalent in modern societies and has detrimental effects on health and happiness. Although situational threats to social relationships can transiently induce the emotion of loneliness, susceptibility to loneliness is a stable trait that varies across individuals [6-8] and is to some extent heritable. However, little is known about the neural processes associated with loneliness (but see [12-14]). Here, we hypothesized that individual differences in loneliness might be reflected in the structure of the brain regions associated with social processes. To test this hypothesis, we used voxel-based morphometry and showed that lonely individuals have less gray matter in the left posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS)--an area implicated in basic social perception. As this finding predicted, we further confirmed that loneliness was associated with difficulty in processing social cues. Although other sociopsychological factors such as social network size, anxiety, and empathy independently contributed to loneliness, only basic social perception skills mediated the association between the pSTS volume and loneliness. Taken together, our results suggest that basic social perceptual abilities play an important role in shaping an individual's loneliness.

SUBMITTER: Kanai R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3510434 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Brain structure links loneliness to social perception.

Kanai Ryota R Bahrami Bahador B Duchaine Brad B Janik Agnieszka A Banissy Michael J MJ Rees Geraint G

Current biology : CB 20121004 20

Loneliness is the distressing feeling associated with the perceived absence of satisfying social relationships. Loneliness is increasingly prevalent in modern societies and has detrimental effects on health and happiness. Although situational threats to social relationships can transiently induce the emotion of loneliness, susceptibility to loneliness is a stable trait that varies across individuals [6-8] and is to some extent heritable. However, little is known about the neural processes associ ...[more]

PMID: 23041193

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Project description:ObjectiveEmotion regulation and social identity theorizing provide two influential perspectives on loneliness. From an emotion regulation perspective, loneliness is understood as a negative emotional state that can be managed using emotion regulation strategies. A social identity perspective views loneliness as resulting from a loss or lack of important social groups and related identities. This study aimed to explore the relationships between key constructs drawn from both perspectives, with a view to understanding loneliness in adults with and without a history of mental illness.Design and methodsParticipants (N = 875) with a mental illness history (MH Hx, n = 217; Mage = 45 years, 59% female) and without a mental illness history (No MH Hx, n = 658; Mage = 47 years, 48% female) completed a survey comprising measures of group membership and connectedness, emotion regulation strategies, and loneliness.ResultsThe MH Hx group reported higher internal affect worsening strategy use and loneliness than those No MH Hx. Hierarchical regressions indicated that the unique contributions of emotion regulation strategies and social identity factors to loneliness were equivalent between the groups. Together, social identity and emotion regulation explained 37% of the variance in loneliness in the No MH Hx subsample and 35% in the MH Hx subsample.ConclusionThese findings suggest that both emotion regulation and social identity had significant unique contributions to the reported loneliness of people when controlling for demographics and each other in those with and without a history of mental illness. Integration of the two frameworks may provide novel avenues for the prevention and management of loneliness.Practitioner pointsIndividuals with a history of mental illness report more use of internal emotion worsening regulation strategies and greater loneliness than those with no such history, but there were no differences in social identity factors. Internal emotion worsening strategies and social support received from others explained the variance in reported loneliness for both those with and without a history of mental illness. Internal emotion improving strategies were significant for those with a history of mental illness, while social support given was significant for those without a history of mental illness. Screening clients for emotion regulation difficulties, social disconnectedness, and loneliness may provide clinicians with an indication of risk for developing psychological distress/disorders.

Project description:Social adaptation arises from the interaction between the individual and the social environment. However, little empirical evidence exists regarding the relationship between social contact and social adaptation. We propose that loneliness and social networks are key factors explaining social adaptation. Sixty-four healthy subjects with no history of psychiatric conditions participated in this study. All participants completed self-report questionnaires about loneliness, social network, and social adaptation. On a separate day, subjects underwent a resting state fMRI recording session. A hierarchical regression model on self-report data revealed that loneliness and social network were negatively and positively associated with social adaptation. Functional connectivity (FC) analysis showed that loneliness was associated with decreased FC between the fronto-amygdalar and fronto-parietal regions. In contrast, the social network was positively associated with FC between the fronto-temporo-parietal network. Finally, an integrative path model examined the combined effects of behavioral and brain predictors of social adaptation. The model revealed that social networks mediated the effects of loneliness on social adaptation. Further, loneliness-related abnormal brain FC (previously shown to be associated with difficulties in cognitive control, emotion regulation, and sociocognitive processes) emerged as the strongest predictor of poor social adaptation. Findings offer insights into the brain indicators of social adaptation and highlight the role of social networks as a buffer against the maladaptive effects of loneliness. These findings can inform interventions aimed at minimizing loneliness and promoting social adaptation and are especially relevant due to the high prevalence of loneliness around the globe. These findings also serve the study of social adaptation since they provide potential neurocognitive factors that could influence social adaptation.

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Brain structure links loneliness to social perception.

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Brain structure links loneliness to social perception.

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