Introduction
The relationship between social isolation, loneliness and health has been widely investigated due to its significant effects on morbidity and mortality. This study, published in Nature Human Behaviour, explores how these social factors influence plasma protein levels and are associated with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and premature death.
Development
1. Proteomic Associations with Isolation and Loneliness
The study used data from 42,062 participants from the UK Biobank, analyzing 2,920 plasma proteins. It was found that 175 proteins were related to social isolation and 26 to loneliness, highlighting connections with inflammatory processes, antiviral responses and complementary systems.
2. Protein Identification and Clinical Implications
Among the proteins analyzed, ADM (adrenomedullin) and ASGR1 (asialoglycoprotein receptor glycoprotein) were identified as significant mediators between loneliness and cardiovascular disease, stroke and mortality. High levels of ADM were also associated with changes in brain volumes in regions linked to interoception and emotional processing.
3. Relationship with Chronic Diseases
More than half of the identified proteins showed prospective associations with cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. The study highlights that biological factors mediated by isolation and loneliness are comparable in impact to traditional risk factors such as smoking and obesity.
Discussion
The study reveals the molecular mechanisms by which social relationships affect health, emphasizing the importance of social and biomedical interventions. These findings highlight the potential of specific protein-based therapies to mitigate the impacts of loneliness and isolation.
Reference
Shen, C., Zhang, R., Yu, J., Sahakian, B. J., Cheng, W., & Feng, J. (2024). Plasma proteomic signatures of social isolation and loneliness associated with morbidity and mortality. Nature Human Behaviour. [https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-02078-1](https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-024-02078-1)
