Why we crave company
Mouse studies show separation and reunion neurons in the hypothalamus and brain stem, suggesting social contact works like a basic biological need.
- Neuroscientists suggest that an animal's need for company functions as a biological homeostatic system, similar to hunger. Neuroscientist Kay Tye of the Salk Institute for Biological Studies and Harvard University neuroscientist Catherine Dulac are exploring how brains manage this equilibrium critical for survival.
- Inside the hypothalamus, Dulac's team identified specific clusters of neurons that encode both the need for social contact and satiety. These cells fire when mice are isolated, driving behavior to seek interaction and maintain neural balance.
- Experiments reveal touch is a critical sensory input for social connection. Neurobiologist Ishmail Abdus-Saboor of Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute confirmed that physical contact signals to the brain that an individual is not alone.
- Prolonged isolation triggers a danger signal in the brain, leading to health risks like heart disease or stroke. Dulac notes solitary confinement in prisons may cause people to stop craving social contact and instead develop a fear of it.
- Researchers believe this social 'bean counter' is an evolutionary adaptation shared by humans and rodents. Tye suggests that engaging in a variety of social settings remains the best method to buffer against discomfort.
32 Articles
32 Articles
Why we crave company - The Mexico Ledger
Why we crave companyTo our human eyes, a mouse’s furred face doesn’t betray much emotion. But if you watch the body language of a mouse who’s reunited with one of her sisters after five days in a cage alone, you might suspect you know what she’s feeling.The formerly isolated mouse chatters in squeaks too high for a human to hear. She follows her sister, crawling beneath the other mouse’s body as if trying to get a hug. She looks like she’s feeli…
Why we crave company - Seward Independent
Why we crave companyTo our human eyes, a mouse’s furred face doesn’t betray much emotion. But if you watch the body language of a mouse who’s reunited with one of her sisters after five days in a cage alone, you might suspect you know what she’s feeling.The formerly isolated mouse chatters in squeaks too high for a human to hear. She follows her sister, crawling beneath the other mouse’s body as if trying to get a hug. She looks like she’s feeli…
Santa New Mexican
Why we crave company
Knowable Magazine reports that loneliness affects both humans and animals, as researchers find that social interaction is a fundamental need for well-being.
Why we crave company - Hillsboro Sentry Enterprise
Why we crave companyTo our human eyes, a mouse’s furred face doesn’t betray much emotion. But if you watch the body language of a mouse who’s reunited with one of her sisters after five days in a cage alone, you might suspect you know what she’s feeling.The formerly isolated mouse chatters in squeaks too high for a human to hear. She follows her sister, crawling beneath the other mouse’s body as if trying to get a hug. She looks like she’s feeli…
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