[AJU NEWS DB]
Loneliness can alter immune system cells which increase susceptibility to illness. A study conducted by John Cacioppo, professor of psychology at the University of Chicago found a link between loneliness and illness.
According to a report by Medical News Today, Professor Cacioppo says that loneliness increases the risk of early death by triggering chronic illness. Loneliness changes gene expression in white blood cells which, makes it weak and leaves a lonely person exposed to infections.
The study results were discovered after a test carried out on 141 adults (aged between 50 and 68). The testers, compared to people who are not lonely, showed an increase in gene expression of “Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity” (CTRA).
CTRA increases the gene expression which responds to infections, but lowers is to anti-virus reactions. Also, loneliness can predict a year ahead of CTRA gene expression and gene expression can predict loneliness state of a person.
Professor Cacioppo explained the situation as loneliness and CTRA gene expression going around in an infinite circle making thing worse.
The study also showed that loneliness increases the secretion of norepinephrine, which is involved in the “fight-for-fight” response to stress. Norepinephrine can cause increased production of monocytes, which is a type of white blood cells. The monocytes can cause inflammatory reactions.
The fight-to-fight response, when confronted with run or fight situation, shows symptoms of increases in heart rate, breathing rate, impotence, retraction in blood vessels and impotence.
The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
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Park Sae-jin
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