An fMRI study of loneliness in younger and older adults

Social Neuroscience
Alexandra E D'AgostinoTurhan Canli

Abstract

Loneliness, the subjective experience of social isolation, may reflect, in part, underlying neural processing of social signals. Aging may exacerbate loneliness due to decreased social networks and increased social isolation, or it may reduce loneliness due to preferential attentional processing of positive information and increased interactions with emotionally close partners. Here, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study of loneliness in younger (N = 50, 26 female, Mage = 20.4) and older (N = 49, 30 female, Mage = 62.9) adults. Compared to younger adults, older adults were less lonely and dwelled longer on faces, regardless of valence. Previous studies in younger adults found that loneliness was negatively correlated with ventral striatal (VS) activation to pleasant social pictures of strangers yet positively correlated with VS activation to faces of close others. In the present study, we observed no association between loneliness and VS activation to social pictures of strangers in either age group. Further, unlike previous studies, we observed no association between social network size and amygdala activation to social stimuli. Additional research is needed to examine the effect of loneliness and s...Continue Reading

References

Sep 1, 1992·Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica·B H GreenC McWilliam
Feb 1, 1996·Journal of Personality Assessment·D W Russell
Jun 25, 1997·JAMA : the Journal of the American Medical Association·S CohenJ M Gwaltney
Mar 11, 2000·International Journal of Psychophysiology : Official Journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology·J T CacioppoG G Berntson
Nov 12, 2002·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Louise H PhillipsRoy Allen
May 31, 2003·Aging & Mental Health·F M Alpass, S Neville
Jun 27, 2003·Journal of Experimental Psychology. General·Susan Turk CharlesLaura L Carstensen
Aug 22, 2003·Psychological Science·Mara Mather, Laura L Carstensen
Oct 1, 1962·Journal of Gerontology·L R DEAN
Mar 27, 2004·Psychological Science·Mara MatherLaura L Carstensen
Sep 13, 2005·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Mara Mather, Laura L Carstensen
Apr 6, 2006·Psychology and Aging·Derek M IsaacowitzHugh R Wilson
May 2, 2006·Journal of Aging and Health·Joe TomakaRebecca Palacios
Jul 1, 2006·Science·Laura L Carstensen
Sep 19, 2007·Psychology and Aging·Gillian SlessorRebecca Bull
Feb 16, 2008·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Ted RuffmanLouise H Phillips
Jun 10, 2008·International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry·Conor O Luanaigh, Brian A Lawlor
Nov 6, 2008·Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience·Russell A Poldrack
Dec 19, 2008·The Journals of Gerontology. Series B, Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences·Louise C HawkleyJohn T Cacioppo
Oct 6, 2009·Lancet·Kaare ChristensenJames W Vaupel
Dec 26, 2009·Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience·Matthew D Lieberman, William A Cunningham
Oct 21, 2011·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·R KanaiG Rees
Oct 9, 2012·Current Biology : CB·Ryota KanaiGeraint Rees
Dec 29, 2012·NeuroImage·Jamie FerriTurhan Canli
Apr 11, 2013·Nature Reviews. Neuroscience·Katherine S ButtonMarcus R Munafò
Aug 21, 2013·Health Psychology : Official Journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association·Lisa M JaremkaJanice K Kiecolt-Glaser
Feb 5, 2014·Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience·Rebecca Von Der HeideIngrid R Olson
Aug 26, 2014·Annual Review of Psychology·John T CacioppoSteven W Cole
Sep 26, 2014·Psychological Science·Sarah L Dziura, James C Thompson
Jun 19, 2015·Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience·Tristen K InagakiNaomi I Eisenberger
Nov 10, 2015·The Open Psychology Journal·Trisha PetitteLaurie Theeke
Nov 21, 2015·Scientific Reports·Seishu NakagawaRyuta Kawashima
May 6, 2016·Developmental Psychology·Maike Luhmann, Louise C Hawkley

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Nov 16, 2019·Social Neuroscience·Livia TomovaRebecca Saxe
Nov 25, 2020·Nature Neuroscience·Livia TomovaRebecca Saxe
Dec 16, 2020·Nature Communications·R Nathan SprengDanilo Bzdok
Apr 7, 2021·Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences·Niccolò ZovettiMarcella Bellani
May 27, 2021·Experimental Aging Research·Yen-Wen ChenTurhan Canli
Jul 1, 2021·JAD Reports·Marina Ávila-VillanuevaMiguel A Fernández-Blázquez
Jul 8, 2021·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Jeffrey A LamEllen E Lee

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Software Mentioned

DataViewer
WFU Pickatlas
MPRAGE
MarsBar
SPSS
SPM8

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Amygdala and Midbrain Dopamine

The midbrain dopamine system is widely studied for its involvement in emotional and motivational behavior. Some of these neurons receive information from the amygdala and project throughout the cortex. When the circuit and transmission of dopamine is disrupted symptoms may present. Here is the latest research on the amygdala and midbrain dopamine.

Amygdala: Sensory Processes

Amygdalae, nuclei clusters located in the temporal lobe of the brain, play a role in memory, emotional responses, and decision-making. Here is the latest research on sensory processes in the amygdala.

Basal Ganglia

Basal Ganglia are a group of subcortical nuclei in the brain associated with control of voluntary motor movements, procedural and habit learning, emotion, and cognition. Here is the latest research.