Lonely white cells
By Brian Vastag
The white blood cells of chronically lonely people display abnormal patterns of gene activation, according to a new report.
Study leader Steve Cole of the University of California, Los Angeles says the findings may indicate that the “biological impact of social isolation reaches down into some of our most basic internal processes.”
Many studies have found that lonely people have increased rates of infectious diseases, cardiovascular problems, and even cancer. But the reason for the connections has been unclear. The new study hints that an altered immune response may play a key role.