Our Brains When Socially Isolated
The brain is made up of network of nerves and made up for social interaction. The brain nerves are connected to each other, they transmit signals from one to other. The abundance and the quality of those connections determines the transmission of those signals, in other words our life experiences. When we expose ourselves to nourishing, mostly gentle, constructive relationships, if we are selective in our connection preferences when we can; our life experiences turn out to be more smooth, joyful, creative and sharp. On top of this, we become more resilient when facing unpleasant situations. Because life is also full of unplesant occurrences, circumstances or adventures.
Ok then, if the brain is kept out, if, voluntarily or involuntarily, disqalified what happens? It loses track of previosly connected nerves. Before covid quarantines, we knew that socially cut- off older people hastened age-related cognitive decline and risk for Alzeihmer’s disesae. With Covid we know that younger people also -because of consecutive lockdowns- developed brain fogg, experienced thinking slowdown and mental tiredness (1).
When we are out of social playground, our social cognitive skills get effected. We can not read emotional expressions nor empathize with another. We loose those skills. Our hippocampus which is central for learning, memory, mood regulation become smaller. This is neuroplacticity in negative way. While at the same time, thanks to this neuroplasticity, the brain has the gift to rewire itself, to strenghten its faded connections or even to compensate its lost functions in case of reduced brain volume (2).
That’s all very well but what may bring juice again to this sad, small, isolated brain?
I guess the most important thing is staying curious and willpower to stay active and to be as much alive as we can while living. Anyhow we’ll have much time to rest in our graves. Education or learning, stepping in social occasions, jobs that require good amount of cognitive alertness (certainly not debilitating jobs with unrealistic deadlines) and for sure movement, regular physical exercice are few efforts areas that are in our control -if not within our motivated areas. Action comes first! Not motivation!
Regular exercice activates neurogenesis which is the growth of new brain cells and regerneration of damaged ones (3). Awesome!
Before closing up this brief talk on brains in inertia and loneliness, I would like to emphasize the importance of retreats. In French there is an expression: “reculer pour mieux sauter” which means sometimes to withdraw or to take back ourselves from bustle, allows us a space to analyse better the situation and gather energy in order to decide better and take action in a very determined way.
I guess there is a time for everything in life!
References:
(1) Dr. Tracey Marks, ‘What Does Social Isolation to Your Brain?’youtube video
(2) (3) Schoenfeld, T. J., McCausland, H. C., Morris, H. D., Padmanaban, V., & Cameron, H. A. (2017). Stress and loss of adult neurogenesis differentially reduce hippocampal volume. Biological psychiatry, 82(12), 914-923.